Strawberry Cupcakes

These berry-delicious homemade strawberry cupcakes aren’t just any old ordinary cupcakes! They feature super moist and fluffy aromatic vanilla cake crowned with luscious fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting!

Jump to:

• 🌟 Why this is the best Strawberry Cupcakes recipe
• 📝  Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 🍫 Flavor Variations & Substitutions
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🧁 More Cupcake Recipes
• Strawberry Cupcakes

🌟 Why this is the best Strawberry Cupcakes recipe

1. It’s easy to make - So, how do you make strawberry cupcakes? You don’t need any fancy equipment or special baking skills. You can make a batch of these yummy strawberry muffins in 30 minutes. 
2. It’s absolutely delicious - The combination of moist vanilla cake topped with dreamy strawberry cream cheese frosting is divine! This strawberry cupcake recipe the perfect balance of aromatic vanilla and fruity fresh strawberries.
3. The amazing texture - What is the secret to super moist cupcakes? My special vinegar and baking soda trick! It creates a chemical reaction that makes the cupcakes super moist and fluffy.

📝  Ingredient notes

For the Cupcakes

1. Granulated Sugar: Perfectly sweetens the cupcakes and makes the crumb more tender. Check out my sugar guide to learn more about granulated sugar vs. cane sugar.
2. Unsalted Butter: It’s important to always use unsalted butter in baking. It also needs to be at room temperature. 
3. Egg: The egg helps to bind the batter. It should be at room temperature. 
4. Vanilla Extract: Infuses the cupcakes with lovely flavor. Use pure vanilla extract or a good substitute for vanilla extract.
5. All-Purpose Flour: Simple white flour will do the trick!
6. Baking Powder: Works as a leavening agent to make the batter rise. In a pinch, a baking powder substitute can be used.
7. Salt: Balances the sweetness and highlights the vanilla taste.
8. Whole Milk: Provides the cupcakes with moisture. Your milk needs to be at room temperature.
9. Baking Soda: When baking soda is used as a leavening agent and mixed with vinegar it creates a chemical reaction that makes the cupcakes incredibly moist and fluffy.
10. White Vinegar: Don’t worry you can’t taste it! Just a little is needed to turn the baking soda into a super powerful leavening agent.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Strawberries: Fresh strawberries infuse the frosting with fruity flavor and give it a pink color without any added food coloring. You can make strawberry cupcakes with frozen strawberries, but it will take them a little longer to cook down. 
2. Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the strawberry puree and helps it to thicken up. 
3. Lemon Juice: The acidity brings out the natural flavor of the fresh strawberries. 
4. Unsalted Butter: Just like for the cupcakes, the butter for the frosting must be at room temperature and unsalted. You can even use homemade butter!
5. Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the icing. Always sift powdered sugar to prevent any lumps. 
6. Full-Fat Cream Cheese: It’s crucial that you use plain, full-fat block cream cheese (such as Philadelphia) with a minimum fat content of 33%.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. Step-by-step process of making the Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 175℃ / 347℉ (no fan). Then line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the room-temperature butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Then whip in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract.
3. Keep whipping the batter as you slowly pour in the room-temperature milk.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the butter and sugar mixture in the large bowl. Then use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients being careful not to overmix the batter. 
5. Mix the white vinegar and baking soda together in a small bowl. It will be very bubbly. Then immediately fold the mixture into the batter just until it’s combined. 
6. Pipe or spoon the batter evenly into cupcake cavities, filling each one about ¾ full.
7. Bake cupcakes for about 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the baked cupcakes on a wire rack.

💡 Top Tip: Avoid pre-mixing the baking soda and vinegar. If the mixture sits for too long the chemical reaction begins to fade and the cupcakes will not rise as much in the oven.

2. How to make Strawberry cream cheese frosting

Should you need more details about this frosting, feel free to visit my strawberry cream cheese frosting recipe.

1. Wash the strawberries and cut them into small chunks. 
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cut strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Next, simmer the mixture over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it reduces to 60g (about ⅓ cup). Then let it cool down to room temperature.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whip the room-temperature butter for 1 to 2 minutes with an electric hand mixer. 
4. Add the sifted powdered sugar and continue whipping until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. 
5. Add the cream cheese and whip the mixture for another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Slowly begin adding the strawberry puree, one tablespoon at a time, with the mixer still running. 
7. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag and then put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. 
8. Pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes. 
9. Serve the fresh strawberry cupcakes immediately or store them for up to 3 days in the fridge.

💡 Top Tip: You need to stop whipping the frosting once the strawberry puree is fully incorporated. Whipping cream cheese frosting for just a minute too long can cause it to break.

🍫 Flavor Variations & Substitutions

These strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are divine! Yet, you can customize them in many ways or use these substitutions to adapt the recipe to suit your dietary needs. 

1. Toppings: Draw inspiration from my strawberry crunch cupcakes and turn them into strawberry shortcake cupcakes by adding a sprinkle of my strawberry crunch topping. You can also add a little shaved white chocolate or ruby chocolate.
2. Fillings: If you are wondering, what to fill strawberry cupcakes with? Double the strawberry frosting recipe and make strawberry filled cupcakes. For an interesting tart twist use lemon curd to make strawberry lemonade cupcakes! My chocolate ganache is also another yummy option.
3. Frostings: While this recipe features a cream cheese frosting reminiscent of strawberry cheesecake cupcakes, feel free to use strawberry buttercream frosting if you prefer.
4. Fruitier: Make cupcakes with strawberries inside by using my strawberry muffins recipe instead and then add a bit of strawberry compote on the side. You can also add ¼ cup of freeze dried strawberries to the icing to intensify the fresh strawberry flavor.
5. Gluten-free: Experiment with other types of flour to make these strawberry cupcakes gluten-free.
6. Egg-free: Try one of these egg substitutions for egg-free variation.

Check out my baking guides to learn even more about the science behind baking!

🎓 Expert tips

1. It’s important to use room temperature ingredients especially the milk, eggs, and butter to achieve proper emulsification.
2. Make sure to combine the vinegar with the baking soda before adding it to the batter for super moist and fluffy muffins.
3. Switching to a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients is crucial to prevent overmixing the batter.
4. The vanilla cupcakes should be completely cooled before applying frosting. Warm cupcakes will melt the icing.
5. Only use full-fat (33%+) cream cheese. Varieties with a lower fat content have excess water and won't produce the same texture.
6. If there are still any chunks of strawberries after cooking them into jam, you can strain the mixture with a mesh sieve or use a food processor.
7. You must incorporate the strawberry puree into the frosting one tablespoon at a time. If you add it all at once, the frosting can break.
8. Chill the frosting for 30 minutes before decorating the cupcakes. But be cautious not to over-chill, as the butter can solidify too much and make it hard to pipe.

🥣 Equipment notes

Learning how to make strawberry cupcakes from scratch is easy! Yet, there are a few baking tools that can help you produce the best results. 

For the most precise measurements, you should always use a digital scale. And a digital oven thermometer is a handy tool that makes it easier to keep an eye on your oven temperature. 

An electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment are the best choices for creaming butter and sugar. Then you’ll need a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the batter without overmixing. 

To bake the cupcakes, you’ll need a  cupcake tin and a cooling rack to let them completely cool to room temperature. 

❓Recipe FAQs

🧁 More Cupcake Recipes