Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes combine soft vanilla cupcakes with fluffy strawberry buttercream and a fresh strawberry on top for a dessert full of real strawberry flavor. They’re an easy homemade cupcake recipe that’s perfect for birthdays, showers, picnics, and summer celebrations.
There are some flavor combinations that simply can’t be improved. Strawberries and cream is one of them.
These cupcakes don’t need fancy fillings or complicated decorations. A soft vanilla cupcake, fluffy strawberry buttercream, and a fresh strawberry on top are more than enough.
Every bite has the perfect balance of sweet vanilla cake, bright strawberry flavor, and creamy buttercream. It’s a classic combination for a reason.
These cupcakes fit right in at birthdays, baby showers, and summer gatherings, but they’re just as welcome on an ordinary weekend. Fair warning, though: if my strawberry-loving daughter spots these first, you might want to grab one before she claims them all.
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s nothing complicated hiding in this ingredient list, but a few ingredients do a lot of the heavy lifting. If you haven’t baked with freeze-dried strawberries before, don’t worry. They’re easy to find and they’re the secret to getting big strawberry flavor without sacrificing the texture of the buttercream.
All-Purpose Flour
Use regular all-purpose flour for the best results. To make these cupcakes gluten-free, substitute your favorite 1:1 gluten-free baking flour containing xanthan gum.
Butter
Use softened butter so it creams properly with the sugar. For dairy-free cupcakes and frosting, substitute a baking-style plant-based butter.
Eggs
I have not tested this recipe with egg substitutes, but a commercial egg replacer designed for baking should work better than flax eggs.
Whole Milk
Whole milk creates the softest texture, but 2% milk also works well. For dairy-free cupcakes, substitute an unsweetened soy or pea protein milk.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch lowers the protein content of the flour, creating a softer, more delicate crumb. If you don’t have any, replace it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour. The cupcakes will still be delicious, but the crumb won’t be quite as tender.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to a naturally pink buttercream with bold strawberry flavor. Because almost all of the moisture has been removed, they blend into the frosting without making it runny. Fresh or frozen strawberries won’t work here.
Fresh Strawberries
Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry just before serving so they stay fresh and glossy.
How to Make Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
If you’ve made cupcakes before, you’ll feel right at home with this recipe. The vanilla cupcakes come together just like a classic butter cake, and the strawberry buttercream is every bit as easy. Here’s what to watch for along the way.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
Start by beating the butter and sugar until the mixture looks noticeably lighter in both color and texture. This step incorporates air into the batter, helping create light, fluffy cupcakes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
Mix the Batter
Mix the dry ingredients separately before alternating them with the milk, stopping as soon as the last streak of flour disappears. Overmixing can lead to dense cupcakes, so a light hand goes a long way.
Bake
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until the tops spring back lightly when touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Strawberry Buttercream
While the cupcakes cool, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. The finer the powder, the smoother your buttercream will be and the easier it will flow through a piping tip.
Beat the butter until it’s pale and fluffy before gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar. Once the frosting is light and smooth, mix in the strawberry powder. If it becomes too thick to pipe, beat in a little heavy cream until it reaches your desired consistency.
Decorate the Cupcakes
Pipe a generous swirl of strawberry buttercream onto each cooled cupcake, then finish with a fresh strawberry just before serving.
That’s it! These cupcakes are ready to enjoy.
Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream
If you’ve ever stirred fresh strawberry puree into buttercream, you’ve probably ended up with frosting that’s too soft to pipe or separates after sitting for a while.
Freeze-dried strawberries solve that problem beautifully.
Kitchen Chemistry
Freeze-drying removes nearly all of the water from the fruit while preserving its sugars, acids, pigments, and aromatic compounds. Without excess water to disrupt the butter’s fat crystal network or dissolve additional sugar, the buttercream stays stable while still delivering concentrated strawberry flavor and natural pink color.
That’s why freeze-dried fruit has become one of my favorite ways to flavor buttercream. You get bright, authentic strawberry flavor without sacrificing the smooth texture or sturdy swirls that make buttercream so beautiful.
The same technique works with freeze-dried raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and other fruits, making it easy to create naturally flavored frostings without artificial extracts or food coloring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh or frozen strawberries instead of freeze-dried strawberries?
No. Fresh and frozen strawberries contain too much water, which will make the buttercream thin and difficult to pipe. Freeze-dried strawberries provide concentrated strawberry flavor without changing the consistency of the frosting.
Why did my buttercream become so thick after adding the freeze-dried strawberries?
Freeze-dried strawberries naturally absorb moisture from the buttercream, so it’s completely normal for the frosting to thicken. If needed, beat in additional heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the buttercream reaches your desired piping consistency.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes! The cupcakes can be baked 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost the cupcakes the day you plan to serve them, then add the fresh strawberries just before serving.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
The unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly and thaw overnight at room temperature before frosting. Frosted cupcakes can also be stored in the freezer; freeze the cupcakes on a cookie sheet in the freezer, then wrap tightly once the buttercream is fully frozen. I don’t recommend freezing the cupcakes once they’re topped with fresh strawberries.
Can I use another freeze-dried fruit?
Absolutely! This same method works well with freeze-dried raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, or mixed berries. Just keep the amount of freeze-dried fruit about the same for the best frosting consistency.
More Strawberry Recipes
- Strawberry Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Chocolate Strawberry Brownies
- Strawberry Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Strawberry Pie
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Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes start with homemade vanilla cupcakes topped with fluffy strawberry buttercream and are finished with a fresh strawberry.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams)) whole milk, room temperature
For the Strawberry Buttercream:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (454 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more as needed
- 2 1/2 cups (85 grams) freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground to a powder
- 12 fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Make the Cupcakes. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Add the milk and mix until incorporated, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Bake the Cupcakes. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Strawberry Buttercream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Add the heavy cream and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the ground freeze-dried strawberries until fully incorporated. If the frosting is too thick to pipe, beat in additional heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Assemble the Cupcakes. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (or your favorite piping tip). Pipe generous swirls onto the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry just before serving.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Grind the strawberries very finely. Larger pieces can clog your piping tip and create a lumpy buttercream.
- Start with only 2 tablespoons of heavy cream for the frosting. The freeze-dried strawberries naturally absorb moisture, so wait until they're fully mixed into the frosting before deciding whether additional cream is needed.
- For the softest cupcakes, use room temperature butter, eggs, and milk.
- The strawberry flavor becomes even more pronounced after the cupcakes sit for a few hours. As the freeze-dried strawberries continue to hydrate in the buttercream, the strawberry flavor deepens.
- Don't have cornstarch? Replace it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour. The cupcakes will still be delicious, but the crumb won't be quite as tender.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Add the fresh strawberry garnish after thawing.
- Recommended Tools: Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Stand Mixer | Mixing Bowls | Cooling Rack
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