These Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes are moist, tender and totally addicting! There are pieces of chopped strawberry in the cupcake and they are topped with strawberry buttercream! So much flavor and perfect for spring and summer!
I have loads of strawberry desserts on this site and certainly no shortage of variations of strawberry cake and cupcakes. What I love about these though is that they are pretty straight forward with a one-bowl vanilla cupcake base and chunks of strawberries in the batter. There’s plenty of strawberry flavor from the chunks of berries and then they are topped with a delicious strawberry buttercream. These cupcakes are light, moist and full of flavor. I love them so much!
These cupcakes have been updated a couple times over the years with slight improvements, so that you get the best strawberry cupcakes. Compared to the original version from 2012, these cupcakes now use a method that gives you a smoother batter that’s easier to put together, plus has a few more chopped strawberries. The strawberry buttercream also now uses a reduced strawberry puree, rather than just a regular strawberry puree, to give you that extra strawberry flavor. All that said, overall the cupcake is the same. It’s still delicious and just as wonderful now as when I originally shared it.
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Cupcakes
- Loaded with strawberry flavor – From the chunks of strawberries in the cupcake, to the strawberry reduction in the buttercream, there’s no shortage of strawberry here. Bright, fruity and delicious flavor!
- No dyes – There’s no need for anything artificial here. The chunks of strawberry do the heavy lifting in the cupcake, and the buttercream gets it’s pink flavor naturally from the strawberry puree reduction.
- Easy to make – There’s no creaming involved, and you don’t even need a mixer for the cupcakes (just for the buttercream). These cupcakes come together quickly and easily. No gimmicks needed for amazing cupcakes.
- Moist for DAYS – With the fresh fruit adding moisture right into the cupcakes, these stay fresh for several days. Great for making ahead!
Ingredient Notes
Let’s take a look at the ingredients needed to make these cupcakes. They are pretty straight forward, but there are a few things to note. Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.
- All Purpose Flour – Measuring the flour correctly is key to getting the perfect texture. I like to use a food scale, but the spoon and level technique, as described in my How to Measure Flour Accurately post, also works. While I haven’t tested it myself, a quality 1:1 gluten-free flour should also work in these cupcakes.
- Baking powder and Baking Soda – The combination of the two gives this cupcake the ultimate rise and texture.
- Salt – Salt helps enhance the overall flavor of the cupcakes. Even a small amount makes a difference. Without it, the flavor is will be bland.
- Butter – Unsalted and melted for the cupcakes, since this recipe doesn’t cream the butter. It should be at room temperature for the buttercream.
- Eggs – Large sized eggs, not medium or extra large
- Sour Cream – Not only does sour cream add moisture, it also helps to keep the batter thick enough so that the strawberries don’t all sink to the bottom of your cupcakes. If you don’t want to use sour cream, you could also try plain Greek yogurt.
- Milk – I use whole milk, but 2% would also work.
- Strawberries – I like to chop them on the smaller side for the cupcakes, so that more can fit into each cupcake. For the buttercream, they will be pureed and cooked down for a stronger flavor.
- Powdered sugar – To add sweetness and volume to the buttercream. You can always reduce the amount, if you’d like. Just keep in mind that you’ll have less buttercream and it’ll have a thinner consistency.
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Here’s a look at just how easy these cupcakes are to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool before frosting!
Make the Strawberry Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined.
Add the eggs, sour cream and milk one at a time, mixing well after adding each.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined. Don’t over mix.
Fold in the chopped strawberries gently.
Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Make the Buttercream and Frost Cupcakes
Puree your strawberries, then add the puree to a small sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, stirring consistently to keep it from burning, until it has thickened and reduced 3/4 cup to about 6 tablespoons.
Set reduced puree aside to cool.
Flavor the buttercream with the strawberry reduction, then frost the cupcakes.
Tips for Perfect Cupcakes
- Use strawberries with good flavor. The flavor of your cake will only be as good as your strawberries.
- Don’t over mix. When combining all of the cupcake ingredients, mix just until everything is combined and no streaks of flour remain. Over mixing = more gluten development = dense cupcakes.
- Keep an eye on bake time. Every oven is different, so I recommend checking the cupcakes at about the 18 minute mark, then adjusting from there. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean.
- Stir the reduction frequently. The strawberry reduction will burn to the pan if it’s not stirred consistently. The constant stirring also helps more liquid evaporate.
- Thicken your buttercream properly. I know it’s tempting to reduce the powdered sugar for many people, but if you make your buttercream too thin (by reducing the powdered sugar), you won’t be able to add the strawberry reduction without getting a frosting that’s much too thin, or even separated. If you really want to reduce the sugar, reduce everything and just make less buttercream that has the same consistency.
How to Store
- Refrigerator. Seal any leftovers in an airtight container tall enough to accommodate the frosting (ideally a cupcake carrier) and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. When stored properly in a freezer-safe airtight container, these cupcakes will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
These goodies are best at room temperature, so let them sit out on the counter for a bit before serving.
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Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 1 ⅔ cups (217g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (90ml) milk
- 1 ½ cups (200g) chopped strawberries
FROSTING
- 1 ½ cups (200g) chopped strawberries
- 1 ¼ cups (280g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 5 cups (575g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch or two of salt
- Strawberries (for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined.
- Add the eggs and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the sour cream and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the milk and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, but do not over mix.
- Fold in the chopped strawberries.
- Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
- To make the strawberry buttercream, make the strawberry reduction. Add the strawberries to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3/4 cups of puree.
- Add the puree to a small sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, stirring consistently to keep it from burning, until it has thickened and reduced to about 6 tablespoons, about 10-15 minutes. To measure, pour the puree into a measuring cup. If it’s more than 6 tablespoons (between 1/4 and 1/2 cup), add it back to the pan and continue cooking.
- When the puree has thickened and reduced, pour into a large measuring cup and allow to cool to at least room temperature. This strawberry mixture can be made ahead, if you like, and stored in the fridge.
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Carefully add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add 4 tablespoons of the strawberry reduction, vanilla extract and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional strawberry reduction as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844. Decorate with a strawberry half, if desired.
- Cupcakes are best when stored well covered or in an air-tight container. Serve at room temperature. Best if eaten within 2-3 days.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Enjoy!
Categories:
Cakes and Cupcakes, Easter, Holidays, July 4th, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Valentine's Day,
Incredible! Yummiest cupcakes ever! Looking forward to making more of your recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!
Hello I am going to make these for my daughters 2nd birthday can I use frozen strawberries or do they have to be fresh???
Frozen should be fine, just be sure to thaw them completely and pat them completely dry.
Hi Lindsay!!! I’ve been looking for a Strawberry Frosting for a while. This one looks amazing. Are this measurements enough for frosting a 3 layer cake? Your moist vanilla cake by the way and a thin layer though cause I’m covering it with fondant. I’m using 8 in pans.
I would double it for a cake. However, it you’re putting fondant over it, I’d suggest a frosting without bits of strawberry in it, like this one.
Just made this and where the strawberry pieces are, it’s very mushy. Will they firm up as they are cooking? Do I bake longer? I basically quartered them since the recipe didn’t state how much to chop them up. Are they supposed to be super fine?
The strawberry pieces can be a little mushy after being baked, but you could try cutting them up a little more finely.
Hi!!
Do you think I could make the icing without the strawberry purée the day before and keep it in the fridge? And then the next day when I’m ready to put the cake together add the purée to the icing then? I need to travel with the cake deconstructed and was worried about the stability of the icing during traveling.
P.S. Have made these numerous times and they are loved. Loved. Loved!
I would think that’d be fine. I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t be. So glad to hear they are loved! Thanks Anna!
I made these for a birthday. I put a Key lime Creamcheese filling in each cupcake. They were Soooo good. They were gone before lunch. I am going to make them again this week for another birthday because they were such a hit and so good.
However my cupcakes fell in the center when they cooled. It did not change the flavor. And once I got them filled and frosted no one knew but me. Is there something I did wrong ? I have made several of your recipes and have never had a fail before. And it’s not stopping me from making them again. Just wondering what happened to cause them to fall. I do have a picture I took of them before frosting. I just can’t load it to the comments.
The key lime filling sounds delicious! As for them falling a bit in the center, it’s hard to know from a distance. One common issue though can be opening the oven door too soon.
These look amazing! Do you boil down the puree before using it in the buttercream? Many recipes I’ve been looking at for strawberry buttercream tell me to reduce the puree by half, let it cool, then mix it in afterwards. Or do you just blend up the strawberries then mix that in?
This recipe doesn’t call for reducing the puree, but you certainly could for a stronger flavor.
My daughter has selected these as her birthdays treat for her 4th birthday at school tomorrow. ☺️ However, we are supposed to bring mini-cupcakes for school celebrations. Any idea how long to bake them as minis? Thank you! This recipe looks fabulous!
Sorry for the delay! I hope they turned out well! For future reference, I tend to suggest starting at about 7-10 minutes for minis.
Just wanted to say – I have been making these cupcakes for years and at every family event my family requests me to make them. They’re so delicious and such a hit! I felt like I needed to say thank you after using the recipe for so long. Thanks again 🙂
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying them!
I made these this weekend for my granddaughter’s 4th birthday party, and they were a HUGE hit! The cupcake itself was fairly dense with not a lot of rise once baked. I was careful to dry the strawberries with a paper towel after chopping them as I was afraid of “mushiness” as some have mentioned – it worked great. For the icing I did not have time to make the strawberry puree, so I used an equal amount of seedless strawberry spread/jam, and did not need to add any water or milk. I did put a pinch of salt in the icing to counteract against the additional sweetness from the jam, and the icing was not too sweet (as I find many icings). My son RAVED about these cupcakes, and he is not really a cake/cupcake fan (yes, I regularly question how on earth I gave birth to a child who doesn’t like cake/cupcakes!!!). Will definitely make again. THANK YOU!!!
Hi, has anyone attempted a cake from this recipe? I’ve made the the cupcakes for my daughter who has a nut allergy and she’s now requested a strawberry birthday cake! Just hoping the consistency will turn out okay.
It’ll probably be a denser cake, so it depends on what kind of texture you like. There are a couple other strawberry cake options as well – this one and this one (which you’d want to double for a full cake).
Thanks so much! I doubled the recipe and made a 2 layer 8 inch cake and mini cupcakes for her class. It’s a smaller cake but I think it works! Haven’t tried it yet. I will have to try one of the other cake recipes you shared.
One more question – I am icing the cupcakes now; do you recommend I keep them at room temperature until I take them to school tomorrow or would they do better in the fridge overnight? Thanks so much! We absolutely love this recipe and it is a special treat for my daughter with a nut allergy who can’t eat cakes from most bakeries! ❤️????
I think with the strawberries, it might do best in the fridge overnight, then room temperature before serving. So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Can’t wait to try these cupcakes, can the recipe be used for a cake as well?
A cake should be fine. Just keep in mind it’ll be a little denser.
For anyone having issues with the frosting not setting up, I have found that if you cook the strawberry puree on the stove on low for about 15 minutes to reduce (and let cool completely) before adding to the butter mixture, it helps. I also typically add 1 cup of the powdered sugar to the butter, then the puree, then the remaining powdered sugar and it comes out like a dream.
I just came across this recipe about 2 months ago and have make it 5 times already. They are so so good. And now my husband who does not like desserts is demanding that I make this into a cake for his birthday. It is his FAVORITE dessert ever.
They look lovely lovely… Can i have gram measurement please….
I made these for a potluck at work today and everyone LOVED them! Thank you for perfecting and sharing the recipe! ????
So glad you enjoyed them!