Filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a creamy swirl of strawberry buttercream, Sweet Strawberry Cupcakes are soft, flavorful, and easy to decorate for spring or summer events.
A few weeks ago, I made strawberry cupcakes for the first time. I followed Martha Stewart’s “Sprinkles” recipe, hoping it would deliver a batch of flavorful cupcakes. Unfortunately, it missed the mark. They weren’t terrible, but definitely not something I felt like sharing here. I probably should’ve paid more attention to the reviews instead of assuming they’d turn out fine. I was frustrated, but I didn’t want to give up.
So, I reworked the recipe to figure out what was making them taste so bland. A few minutes later, I had something worth testing. Adding buttermilk, lemon zest, and cake flour made a huge difference and turned this into a recipe I’d come back to again and again. So if you’re looking for a strawberry cupcake that actually tastes like strawberries, this is it—soft, flavorful, and fresh.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
- All ingredients are easy to find at most stores, making this a practical and accessible dessert option.
- Easy strawberry buttercream comes together quickly with simple ingredients and has a fresh fruit flavor.
- Pink strawberry cupcakes look as good as they taste, making them perfect for birthdays, spring parties, and baby showers.
Recipe Ingredients
Strawberry-Flavored Greek Yogurt – Contributes a creamy texture and a light strawberry flavor to the cupcake batter. It also adds moisture, which helps keep the cupcakes soft after baking.
Fresh Strawberries – Folded into the batter to add flavor and soft fruit texture throughout the cupcakes. Using the sweetest strawberries gives the best flavor and adds a natural look to the finished crumb.
Lemon Extract – Brightens the flavor and enhances the strawberries with a citrus note that keeps the cupcakes from tasting too sweet.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Use Strawberry Jam – If you don’t have extra berries to puree, you can use strawberry jam or preserves in the frosting. A few drops of pink food coloring will give your strawberry cupcakes a beautiful pink color.
Swap Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream – Sour cream offers the same creamy texture and moisture while giving the cupcakes a slightly richer feel and a gentle tang that complements the strawberries.
How to Make Sweet Strawberry Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Step 2: In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and strawberry puree. Set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and food coloring until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg, then the egg white, and mix just until combined.
Step 4: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the bowl. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the strawberry chunks.
Step 5: Fill each cupcake liner ¾ of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn golden brown and the cupcakes spring back nicely when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the butter, strawberry puree, vanilla, and salt for about 1 minute. With the mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat for 3–4 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes as desired.
Expert Tips
Measure Flour Correctly to Avoid Dry Cupcakes – The most common mistake is scooping flour directly from the bag, which packs in too much flour. Spoon it lightly into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife to keep the cupcakes soft and tender.
Blend Strawberries Until Smooth for the Puree – Use a food processor or blender to puree the strawberries until smooth before measuring. This makes it easier to combine with the other wet ingredients and helps the flavor distribute evenly into the dry ingredients during mixing.
FAQs
Garnish each cupcake with a fresh strawberry, strawberry slice, or even a sprinkle of crushed freeze-dried strawberries. You can also add decorative sprinkles or a swirl of whipped cream for a pretty and festive finish.
Yes, strawberry cream cheese frosting is a great option if you want something a little tangier and richer. You can also try whipped cream for a light topping or white chocolate ganache for a sweeter finish.
Storage Information
STORE Strawberry Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days once they’re completely cooled and frosted. To keep them extra fresh, you can also wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap before placing them in the container.
If you’d like to FREEZE them, place the unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before adding the buttercream.
For freezing frosted cupcakes, set them on a baking sheet to freeze until firm, then transfer to a sealed container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before serving. You can REHEAT the cupcakes briefly in the microwave (without frosting) for about 10 seconds, but they’re best enjoyed at room temperature.
More Ways to Enjoy Strawberries
Sweet Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter - room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup strawberry flavored Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup strawberry puree - about 6 strawberries
- 6 strawberries - diced into 1/2" chunks
- 1 egg + 1 egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 drops red food coloring*
Strawberry Buttercream
- 2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - room temperature
- 2 Tbsp fresh strawberry puree - about 2 strawberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and strawberry puree. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and food coloring until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg, then the egg white, and mix just until combined.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the bowl. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the strawberry chunks.
- Fill each cupcake liner ¾ of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn golden brown and the cupcakes spring back nicely when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the butter, strawberry puree, vanilla, and salt for about 1 minute. With the mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat for 3–4 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes as desired.
NOTES
Nutrition
Recipe Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart, Sprinkles’ Strawberry Cupcakes & Sally’s Baking Addiction, Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
You mentioned heavy cream…. how much???