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These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes are made with my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. They have fresh cream filling with chopped strawberries and the most amazing strawberry frosting!
Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
I always look forward to strawberries being in season. I love their smell, I love their taste and I love to bake with them. They are especially good dipped in whipped cream too. A big ole’ bowl of strawberries and some whipped cream and I’m good to go! And these cupcakes are much like eating just that – in cupcake form.
How to Make Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
The cupcakes start with my favorite moist vanilla cupcakes. They use the classic creaming method of creaming the butter and sugar together, adding air to the batter that helps make a light cupcake.
The cupcakes also use one of my favorite ingredients – sour cream. I love the moisture it adds to cupcakes, as well as the additional flavor.
You’ll notice only egg whites in these cupcakes as well. They add structure to the cupcakes to help them hold up to all the wonderful moisture from the sour cream and milk.
Finally, the dry ingredients are added alternatively with the liquid to help the liquid ingredients properly incorporate into the batter. Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, cut out the cores so that they can be filled. I like to use a cupcake corer, but a knife would work as well.
How to Make Strawberry Cupcake Filling
For the filling, I used one of favorite cream fillings. It’s whipped cream with a little cream cheese added and some vanilla extract. Powdered sugar is used both to sweeten the cream and to stabilize it. I often hear people say they reduce the amount of powdered sugar used, but be careful doing that. The cream may not end up being as firm.
I added chopped strawberries to the cream, as well. I LOVE the extra pop of strawberries it gives. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference!
The cupcakes are finished off with the most amazing strawberry frosting! It was declared “the best strawberry frosting I’ve ever had” by all who tasted these cupcakes. So good! It’s made using freeze dried strawberries to give it plenty of strawberry flavor without thinning out the frosting too much from adding a bunch of strawberry puree. If you’d like to go the puree route, you totally can. I have a frosting like that here. But I definitely recommend trying the freeze dried strawberries.
The final cupcake just melts in your mouth! The moist vanilla cupcake, fluffy cream filling with bursts of strawberries and amazing strawberry frosting are a dangerously delicious combination! All who had them totally fell in love and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t resist eating several. These are definitely a new favorite for summer that I know you’ll want to make over and over!
Watch How To Make Them
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Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes are made with my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. They have fresh cream filling with chopped strawberries and the most amazing strawberry frosting!
Ingredients
Vanilla cupcakes
- 6 tbsp (84g), unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (86g) sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (90ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (30ml) water
Strawberry frosting
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp (45-60ml) water or milk
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh berries, for topping
Filling
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup (29g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.
- Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Fill the cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
To make the frosting
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
- Add the freeze-dried berries to a food processor and grind into a powder. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth
- Add up to 3 tablespoons of water or milk and the salt and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and powdered berries and mix until well combined and smooth. Add additional water or milk, as needed. Set frosting aside.
Make the filling
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl.
- Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
- Add the cream cheese and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. It’ll happen quickly.
- Stir in the chopped strawberries.
Assemble the cupcakes
- When the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove the centers of the cupcakes.
- Fill the centers with the cream filling.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Top the cupcakes with a strawberry, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Cupcakes are best served at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 431
- Sugar: 42.3 g
- Sodium: 88.7 mg
- Fat: 23.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 63.6 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
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Do these cupcakes need to be refrigerated?
Yes, they do.
Hi! I’m so excited to try this, do you think I could make these a day or two before and keep them in the fridge?
Also, could I use fresh strawberries?
Yes, they could be made a day ahead. For fresh strawberries, you could use my strawberry frosting.
Hi, I’d like to freeze these cupcakes and frost them after when I’m ready to serve. Would I fill them prior to freezing or after I’ve taken them out of the freezer, just before frosting? Thx
I would fill them after you freeze them and thaw them so that the strawberries are fresh and don’t get mushy.
I followed the frosting recipe to the T and it really doesn’t seem thick enough.. what do u suggest
It sounds like you either added too much liquid or perhaps didn’t add the full amount of powdered sugar. The only way to really thicken it is by adding additional powdered sugar.
Can I make a cake with this recipe as well
That should be fine. For a full sized 8 inch cake, I’d double the recipe.
hello,
I have already ground up freeze dried strawberries that are powdered.
Whats the cup amount I should add since its already ground up?
Thank you for a reply.
Chelle
I didn’t measure it in cups in powder form, so I’m not sure. I’d try adding a couple tablespoons, taste the buttercream and add more as needed.
Lovely recipe will surely try it out
Hi Lindsay! I made this recipe yesterday & the cupcakes were a big hit! I love the tender vanilla cake & the filling is so yummy! I do have some leftover filling & wonder how long it will keep in the fridge? TY!
With your filled cupcakes can you fill them the night before eating without going soggy inside?
Yes, definitely.
This is a great recipe with so much strawberry flavor. They were a big hit with my family and my daughters recommendation for her birthday. Just a side note if you are able to can you please remove the YouTube video off of the recipe. It actually prints a large black rectangle.
So glad you enjoyed them! I’ve removed the video.
I made these for graduation party and everyone requested for the bridal shower! Didn’t use freeze dried – used fresh strawberries
Delicious!
This recipe is SOOO good! I baked it into two pound cake shaped tins, sliced each cake in half and added the cream cheese filling in the middle of each layer (and a bit on the top). I also made strawberry compote instead of the frosting and poured it on top of the cake and cream cheese filling. It was DELICIOUS!!! This cake recipe is moist light, and decadent. The cream cheese filling has just enough cream cheese and sugar to oppose the flavors of the cake. I eye-balled the compote but I made sure to not add too much sugar. Thank you Lindsay!
Lindsey, I am making the freeze-dried strawberry for the first time. You said it is the best frosting. How many bags of freeze-dried 2 oz frosting do I need to get a cup. I haven’t bought them yet but I would assume it is 4 bags. Is the frosting worth taking a risk using freeze dried. I am bringing to after funeral get together with 40 people and I want to make sure the cupcake is a success
Tried this recipe as a request from one of my pregnant coworkers and they were a hit!!
I have pre-crumbled freeze-dried strawberries. How much would I need of the berries in g, or tBsp perhaps? Thanks!
I’d probably still measure out a cup. In tablespoons that’s 16. Not sure on grams, but I don’t think it’s more than the one ounce bag I typically buy.
Oh I’m sorry for the confusion. I mean I already have a jar of epicure frozen berries that’s already in small crumbled pieces, so how much does 1 cup of whole berries equate to once pulverized? Thank you.
Best cupcakes ever! Love the frosting it’s my favorite! Could you make the batter a day or two ahead of time and keep it in the fridge before baking?
Glad you enjoyed them! Not sure about making the batter ahead. I’ve never done that and wouldn’t normally be something I’d recommend.