Real Strawberry Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Spray cupcake cups with cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.

Place 8 strawberries into a blender, and blend until smooth.

Pour the purée through a strainer to remove seeds.

Purée should equal about 3/4 cup.

Set the purée aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest, and strawberry purée until well combined.

Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla pudding mix (for a moister cupcake), and red food coloring to reach a desired shade of pink.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 23 minutes.

Allow the cupcakes to cool at least 10 minutes before frosting.

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, and mix in confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to make a lump-free icing.

Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of icing, and top each cupcake with a strawberry slice.