Valentine´s Day Never Been Sweeter; Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Are The Perfect Treat For Two

These fruity strawberry shortcake cupcakes are a portable twist on the classic favorite dessert! Featuring moist vanilla cake, luscious Chantilly whipped cream topping, and freshly chopped strawberries, they're the perfect sweet finish to a meal or to enjoy as a mid-day treat!

Best Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

If you've been wondering how to make strawberry shortcake cupcakes, you've come to the right place! They are one of my favorite desserts because they are so bright and delicious yet simple to make!

It starts with my moist vanilla cupcake base, which stays tender and flavorful for days, thanks to my tried-and-true signature baking hack. It is then topped with a silky Chantilly frosting stabilized with mascarpone, making it irresistibly creamy and super stable, even after several days in the fridge. Add a fresh strawberry filling to the mix, and you have cupcakes bursting with juicy, fruity goodness in every bite!

Everything is 100% homemade, using fresh (never frozen) strawberries for the most natural flavor. This recipe is also beginner-friendly, with straightforward steps and simple ingredients you likely already have at home. No matter the occasion, this foolproof recipe will quickly become a family favorite!

Katalin's Take On How to Make Whipped Cream That is Stable Enough to Pipe

Creating whipped cream frosting that holds its shape for piping is all about the right ingredients and technique. There is a misconception that whipped cream can quickly deflate and melt. Or, that you need to add tons of powdered sugar for the frosting to be able to pipe. These are both false baking myths bloggers created without understanding the science of baking.

You always want to start with heavy cream containing at least 36% fat, as the higher fat content helps it maintain its structure.

Traditionally, recipes stabilize Chantilly frosting with gelatin. However, fatty dairy additions like mascarpone or cream cheese can boost its stability without requiring extra steps. In this recipe, I use full-fat mascarpone, which enhances the texture and gives the cream a rich, luxurious taste. The key is to whip the cream slowly and stop at the early stiff peak stage—whipping past this point can cause the mixture to separate or lose volume. And no, you don´t need to add tons of sugar, in fact, it can be made effectively close to sugar-free.

The whipped Chantilly cream in this recipe has been tested to last for days without losing volume or structure when refrigerated, unlike other strawberry shortcake cupcake recipes you may come across. While it's always best served fresh, adding mascarpone keeps the whipped cream frosting stable for days (refrigerated), just check my no bake choolcate pie or hot chocolate cupcakes pictures, however beautiful they are!

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

▢150 g (¾ cups) Granulated sugar
▢113 (½ cups) Unsalted butter at room temperature
▢2 Egg at room temperature
▢2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
▢120 g (½ cups) Whole milk at room temperature
▢185 g (1½ cups) All purpose flour
▢½ teaspoon Salt
▢½ teaspoon Baking powder
▢½ teaspoon White vinegar
▢½ teaspoon Baking soda

Mascarpone Stabilized Whipped Cream

▢230 g (1 cups) Heavy cream 36% fat content, cold
▢75 g (⅓ cups) Mascarpone 41% fat content, cold
▢30 g (¼ cups) Powdered sugar sifted
▢1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Strawberry filling

▢240 g (1½ cups) Fresh strawberries finely chopped

I have two secret ingredients to make moist vanilla cupcake base

Before starting, ensure the butter (unsalted butter only), eggs, and milk are at room temperature. I recommend taking the milk out of the fridge for at least an hour prior and placing your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes. See my guide on softening butter quickly for tips on doing so without using a microwave.

Next, line a cupcake tin with liners and preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F (without the fan).

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time while whipping lightly, then stir in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift and whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt (don't skip the salt—it balances the sweetness!). Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the room-temperature milk. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix, as this can make the cupcakes dense and dry.

Now, for my signature baking hack for super moist cupcakes: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda—it will bubble up quickly. Then, use a rubber spatula to gently fold the bubbly mixture into the batter just until combined.

Use a piping bag or spoon to fill the lined cupcake cavities until about ¾ full. Don't overfill them, or they will overflow during baking!

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer the baked cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, you can move on to decorating!

Finish with a Mascarpone Stabilized Whipped Cream (Chantilly Cream) Frosting

Note that temperature is key when making mascarpone-stabilized whipped cream. The heavy whipping cream and mascarpone must both be very cold before starting for the cream to stabilize.

Start by combining the sifted powdered sugar, very cold heavy cream, and mascarpone in a mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whip the mixture for about a minute, then add the vanilla extract.

Continue whipping until the frosting reaches a fluffy, pipeable consistency, typically after 2-3 minutes, stopping at early stiff peaks (right after soft peaks). Try not to overwhip, as this can cause the frosting to separate, become runny, and eventually turn into butter.

Lastly, transfer the finished frosting into a piping bag for decorating!

Voila, it´s assemble time!

First, wash your strawberries thoroughly. I recommend only using fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture. Once rinsed, chop them into fine pieces.

Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, pipe the frosting on top and add a small amount of the fresh diced strawberries in the center. To add a fruity surprise to the middle, use a teaspoon to create small holes in the center of each vanilla cupcake base and fill them with some of the strawberries!

Store and Freeze Like a Pro

These strawberry shortcake cupcakes are best when you enjoy them fresh. But, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes (Chantilly cream doesn't freeze very well) in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to a month.

Bring your refrigerated or frozen cupcakes to room temperature before serving. For detailed tips on storing cupcakes without compromising their fresh flavor and texture, check out my guide on storing and freezing cupcakes.

There Are Endless Options to Customize This Cupcake Recipe

Instead of the traditional vanilla cupcake base, try them with a chocolate cupcake base like I do with my hot chocolate cupcakes.

Instead of Chantilly cream for the frosting, consider using my strawberry cream cheese frosting, classic American buttercream, or one of these 25+ Different Types of Frosting.

You can enhance your cupcakes by adding lemon or lime zest to the batter for a citrusy complement to the strawberry flavor.

Add some crunch by adding poppy seeds like I do in my moist lemon poppy seed cupcakes, or sprinkle my strawberry shortcake crumble over the top like I do in my strawberry crunch cupcakes.

Instead of diced strawberries, fill the cupcakes with my strawberry compote. Or, for a delicious flavor twist, fill them with lemon curd, mango curd, or chocolate ganache!

You can also flavor the Chantilly cream if you choose. See my Chantilly cream recipe for several different variations!

Helpful links to work around dietary restrictions

To make your strawberry shortcake cupcakes gluten-free, substitute almond flour for the all-purpose flour, or try one of the other gluten-free alternatives in my flour guide.

For a vegan-friendly version, opt for a high-fat, dairy-free milk, vegan butter, and vegan heavy cream substitute, and replace the eggs with one of these egg substitutes. Remember that dairy-free products may slightly alter the taste and texture.

Instead of strawberries, feel free to use raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or mango, as I do in my mango cupcakes.

My Final Expert Tips For Making Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

For the best flavor and texture of your cupcakes and chantilly cream, use high-quality, high-fat ingredients, such as 82% fat European-style butter, 3% whole milk, 36% fat heavy cream, 41% fat mascarpone cream, and the highest-quality vanilla extract you can find.
Do not attempt to speed things up by making the baking soda and vinegar mixture in advance. The chemical reaction will slow the longer it sits, and the cupcakes will not rise as much.
If you flavor your chantilly cream, choose powdered or gel-based ingredients to prevent adding extra liquid to the frosting.
If your Chantilly cream is too runny, it's likely due to overwhipping or using heavy cream with too low a fat content. Unfortunately, you cannot fix overwhipped cream, but if the problem is that the cream wasn't cold enough, you can refrigerate it for about 30 minutes to chill it thoroughly before attempting to whip it again.

What Equipment To Use

Use a digital scale for precise ingredient measurements for the best results when making your strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Likewise, you'll want to use a digital oven thermometer to ensure an accurate baking temperature.

An electric hand mixer is best for blending wet ingredients and making the chantilly cream, while a rubber spatula folds the wet and dry batter ingredients without overmixing.

You'll need a 12-cup muffin pan for baking and a cooling rack to let the cupcakes cool. A piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M nozzle tip is ideal when decorating.

If you loved these delightful strawberry shortcake cupcakes, you will definitely want to try my other fruit-infused cupcake recipes:

And don't miss my roundup of the 50+ best cupcake recipes for even more fun and delicious handheld treats!