Berry delight cupcakes/muffins!

Okay, I know I just posted my first post today, and I still don't have a decent camera to use for this blog... BUT forgive me for the blurry pictures... I was hungry!

So it was 10:45 at night, and I was really craving sweets.  I was searching the cupboards for something to satisfy the craving, and nothing looked quite right. So I sat back down, disappointed on the couch.  A commercial came on t.v. with a little girl eating a cupcake... *DING DING DING* And then it hit me... CUPCAKES! A while back I came across a recipe from hungrygirl.com for berry cupcakes, and have been meaning to try it for months! After revisiting her recipe, I decided to create my own berry cupcake recipe, but to try her strawberry cool-whip icing recipe with these cupcakes. Even with the icing, each cupcake is only 3 weight watchers points plus values! (If you aren't a weight watcher, 3 points = about as healthy as a cupcake can possibly get!) If you are looking for a guilt-free sweet treat, these are a must-try!

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix (I used a local store brand)
2 cups diet black cherry soda
1/2 cup egg whites (I used egg substitute)
1 cup frozen mixed berries

Ingredients for the icing:
1 tub fat-free coolwhip
1/2 pkg. fat-free cream cheese
2 packets of Truvia
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. strawberry syrup
Red food coloring

I lined two 12-cup cupcake pans with cupcake liners.  After I already had my mind made up that I was making these cupcakes, I realized I only had 20 cupcake liners.  If this ever happens to you, spray the muffin cups with a little non-stick spray - they'll be fine!  Next, I pureed the frozen berries in a food processor (and then the dog started barking, and woke my husband up... whoops!).

Next, I placed all cupcake ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  I then used a hand mixer to beat that batter on medium high speed until it was smooth and lump free.  My batter looked pink at this point (you'll see why I point this out, later!).








I then started to spoon the batter into the cupcake cups.  As it was splattering all over the tops of the pan and the counter (even landing on the poor dog's head), I began trying to think of a more efficient way to fill the cups. I was looking around my kitchen, and saw my two cup measuring cup, and it dawned on me: Put the batter into the measuring cup and then pour it into each cup (NO MESS) :-)  I mention this, because if you are like me, you too have had previous struggles with the neatness of filling cupcake cups... Isn't this a neat little trick? It made me happy! Anyway... I digress.

Once filled, place in center rack in the oven for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While the cupcakes are cooking, I set to work on the icing.  I was skeptical of how it would turn out.  However, I figured I'd have some faith... I whipped together all of the icing ingredients until smooth, adding 2 drops of red food coloring (because if we are making berry cupcakes, I want them to be cute and pink!) and then poured the icing into a ziploc bag.  I then set the bag in the freezer while the cupcakes finished baking, and eventually cooling.  It was really runny before putting it into the freezer.  I was keeping my fingers crossed for how this icing would turn out.

By this time, my cupcakes were done.  It took exactly 15 minutes to be set but moist.  Just check to make sure a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean! I let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, and then transferred them to a cooling rack to cool completely.  But I was really surprised! The cupcakes turned a blueish color after they finished baking.  (I guess my berry mix had more blueberries than I realized!  If you want a pinker cupcake, add some red food coloring to the batter!)  Oh well, blue and pink are both pretty colors!

I cut a corner off of the ziplock bag, and attempted to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.  

You can see the result - it was still really runny, and honestly, did not taste all that good.  So I threw this one away, and tasted one with no icing.  MUCH BETTER!

All in all, the cupcakes themselves are super yummy! Because they are very moist, and very berry, I almost think they should be considered a muffin.  In fact, I think I'm going to re-categorize them as a moist blueberry muffin!  Then they don't even need icing! Next time, I'll just sprinkle them with a little decorator sugar and call it a day! So perhaps I should go back and change the name of this recipe to berry delight MUFFINS? You know what... its settled: They are now officially called berry delight cupcake/muffins.  Okay - I'm done rambling.  ENJOY!