Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

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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!

fresh strawberry cupcakes on marble and wood cake stand with strawberries around base

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

I have loads of strawberry-based 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’m so in love!

This is actually the second time this recipe has been updated. The original version was posted way back when I first started this blog, in 2012. Then it was updated in 2014. And now it’s being updated again, only this time the recipe is basically the same.

There are a few little updates to the method for the cupcake to give you a smoother batter that’s easier to put together, plus a little more chopped strawberry. And then the strawberry buttercream now uses a reduced strawberry puree, rather than just a regular strawberry puree, to give you that extra strawberry flavor. But overall the cupcake is the same. Despite being about 7 years old, it’s still delicious and just as wonderful now as when I originally shared it. Love it!

Recipe Ingredients

For the Strawberry Cupcakes

  • All Purpose Flour
  • Baking powder and Baking Soda: The combination of the two gives this cupcake the ultimate texture.
  • Salt: For flavor.
  • Butter: Unsalted and melted, since this recipe doesn’t cream the butter.
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Eggs: Large sized eggs.
  • 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.
  • Milk
  • Chopped Strawberries: One and half cups of chopped strawberries for cupcakes that are loaded with flavor!

For the Strawberry Buttercream

  • Strawberries: You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups of chopped strawberries, measured after chopping.
  • Unsalted Butter: Control the amount of salt in your buttercream by adding it yourself. Butter should be room temperature.
  • Powdered Sugar: For volume and thickness.
  • Vanilla Extract: For flavor.
  • Salt: To taste

bunch of strawberry cupcakes on the top of a cake standstrawberry cupcakes on a marble stand and pink napkin

How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

These cupcakes are quite simple to make. I LOVE that they use only one bowl for the cupcake batter! Unlike my typical cupcake recipes, there’s no creaming involved, so they are super quick to make.

Make the Strawberry Cupcakes

  1. Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
  3. Combine Butter, Sugar and Vanilla: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined.
  4. Add Eggs, Sour Cream and Milk: Add the eggs, sour cream and milk one at a time, mixing well after adding each. Adding them one at a time ensures they all incorporate nicely, without giving you a lumpy batter.
  5. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, but do not over mix. You want the batter to be evenly mixed and smooth, but don’t over do it or you could end up with tough cupcakes.
  6. Stir in Strawberries: Fold in the chopped strawberries gently. You don’t want to beat up your strawberries or over mix the batter.
  7. Bake: 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.

Make the Strawberry Buttercream

  1. Make the strawberry reduction: Using a strawberry reduction doubles up the strawberry flavor. To make it, you’ll puree your strawberries, then cook them down by half. So after pureeing your strawberries, you should have about 3/4 cup 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 tbsp, about 10-15 minutes. To measure, pour the puree into a measuring cup. If it’s more than 6 tbsp (between 1/4 and 1/2 cup), add it back to the pan and continue cooking. Set aside to cool when it’s done.
  2. Beat Butter: Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
  3. Add Powdered Sugar: Carefully add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
  4. Add Strawberry Reduction, Vanilla and Salt: Add 4 tablespoons of the strawberry reduction, vanilla extract and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
  5. Finish Powdered Sugar: Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  6. Get the Right Consistency: Add additional strawberry reduction as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.

Assemble the Cupcakes

  1. Pipe the Frosting: Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
  2. Garnish: Decorate with a strawberry half, if desired.

strawberry cupcakes on cake stand with bowl of strawberries in background

More Great Strawberry Recipes

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
Homemade Strawberry Cake
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
Strawberry Crunchy Layer Cake

Watch How To Make Them

 

Read Transcript

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strawberry cupcake on a cake stand with other cupcakes around
Recipe

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 14-16 Cupcakes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

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!


Ingredients

CUPCAKES

  • 1 2/3 cups (217g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (115g) sour cream
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 1/2 cups (200g) chopped strawberries

FROSTING

  • 1 1/2 cups (200g) chopped strawberries
  • 1 1/4 cups (280g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups (575g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch or two of salt
  • Strawberries, for decorating

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined.
  4. Add the eggs and whisk together until well combined.
  5. Add the sour cream and whisk together until well combined.
  6. Add the milk and whisk together until well combined.
  7. Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, but do not over mix.
  8. Fold in the chopped strawberries.
  9. 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.
  10. Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
  11. 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.
  12. 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 tbsp, about 10-15 minutes. To measure, pour the puree into a measuring cup. If it’s more than 6 tbsp (between 1/4 and 1/2 cup), add it back to the pan and continue cooking.
  13. 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.
  14. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
  15. Carefully add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
  16. Add 4 tablespoons of the strawberry reduction, vanilla extract and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
  17. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional strawberry reduction as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.
  18. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844. Decorate with a strawberry half, if desired.
  19. Cupcakes are best when stored well covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Serve at room temperature

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
  • Calories: 275
  • Sugar: 26.3 g
  • Sodium: 100.8 mg
  • Fat: 15.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 34.1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 42.6 mg

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Enjoy!

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537 Comments
  1. Gwendolyn Layton

    I made these for my culinary class cupcake battle, and they’re one of the top hits! this recipe is amazing, and me being a strawberry lover, definitely made me happy! I was wondering if you could let me know how you folded the strawberries better? I used a special spoon and folded them in, but not too great to wear they looked even in the cupcake. I was wondering if you could explain? Thank you!! 🙂

  2. Paro

    I made just the cupcake and not the icing because I already had some left over icing to use. Omg, these cupcakes were absolutely sensational. So moist and heavenly. I couldn’t stop eating. Had to control myself to leave some cupcakes to be iced 😂 Fantastic recipe!!






  3. Danielle

    These are great! I never puréed strawberries and reduced down. Much easier then I imagined, but that made the frosting perfect. I will make again.
    Than you for sharing






    1. Lindsay

      Frozen strawberries tend to be more mushy, but you could try it. I would thaw them and pat them dry first so that you don’t add extra moisture to the cake batter.

    1. Lindsay

      They’d definitely be ok for the frosting. Just be sure to thaw and pat them dry. For the cupcakes, they may be a little hard to work with since thawed strawberries are often mushy, but you could try it.

  4. Tia Sears

    One of my favorites of yours to make! I always try to change up the frosting on top because mine always came out too artificial tasting for my liking. I think that was back when it was shortening and butter? But recently I’ve been doing your recipe that calls for freeze dried strawberry powder and it is my absolute favorite! Thanks for the update to this recipe! I’ll definitely be whipping up a batch for my daughters 2nd birthday in a couple weeks!






    1. Lindsay

      So glad to hear you enjoy them! Yes, that could have been from the shortening. And the freeze dried strawberries are definitely yummy and easy! Thanks so much for the feedback, Tia!

  5. Amanda H.

    Loved this recipe. Only made a half batch because I thought 24 cupcakes would’ve been too many. Wrong!!! You can’t have too many of these. They are sensational. I will be making these for family at Easter. I can’t wait to share how amazing they are.
    Subbed plain Greek yogurt for sour cream because I didn’t have any on hand. Delicious!






      1. Laila Kassis

        Does this recipe really only make 14 cupcakes or is it 24? The recipe says 14, but it feels like it would be larger than that from the measurements and one of the comments indicated it makes 24. I just want to know if I should multiply this recipe by 1.5x for my needs ore leave as is. Thanks!

  6. Terina Conley

    Can you make these a couple days in advance and store in refrigerator? I wasn’t sure with it having fresh strawberries

  7. Kristy Lee Ballantine

    Hello Lindsay! I was just curious if the milk, egg, and  sour cream should be room temp like the butter or if using them cold is better? Thank you! 

  8. Vanessa

    Hi! We had a lot of really good strawberries on hand (they were buy 1 pack, get 2 free at the grocery!) and I’m so glad to have found your recipe. I just made these as a special treat for my daughter celebrating 18 months. 

    Since they have fruit in them, would it be best to keep them out at room temp for a day, then store in the fridge? Or do you recommend storing in the fridge right away? It’s not hot where we are now and I know the fridge tends to dry out cake.

    Thank you!!






    1. Lindsay

      So glad you enjoyed them! As for storing them, you could leave them out for several hours but leaving them out too long in a closed container can cause mold to form. So you just want to be careful of that.

  9. Molly

    Hi Lindsay,
    I’ve made these cupcakes several times and they are a huge hit! Thank you for sharing!
    I’m getting ready to make them again, but only have unsalted butter in my fridge. Do you know how much salt I need to add to the cupcake recipe and the frosting recipe?
    Thanks a bunch!






    1. Lindsay

      So glad you enjoyed them! About 1/4 teaspoon should be fine for the cupcakes. For the frosting I would just do a pinch or two to taste.

  10. Amy

    These look AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I’m going to make them for a bake sale at school, and was wondering how long they would last for and where to store them?
    Thank you for all the amazing recipes!

    1. Lindsay

      With the fresh strawberries in them, they don’t last as long as some cupcakes. It depends a little on your strawberries, but a couple days should be fine. I’d store them in the fridge, but serve them closer to room temperature.

    1. Lindsay

      I would think that’d be fine, but you’ll want to thaw them and pat them dry first so that you don’t add extra liquid to the cupcake batter.

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29