Strawberry Cupcakes
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Packed with sweet strawberry flavor, these Strawberry Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and hard to resist. Each one is filled with strawberry jam and topped with a generous swirl of strawberry frosting, making them just right for spring gatherings, Valentine’s Day, or anytime strawberries are calling your name, which, around here, is pretty often!
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Strawberry Cupcakes
These cupcakes are soft, flavorful, and packed with berry flavor in every bite!
I’m a huge strawberry fan, and if you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed. From my buttery Strawberry Scones to soft Strawberry Loaf Cake, and even a fresh Strawberry Salsa, I find just about any excuse to cook with them.
These strawberry cupcakes might be my favorite yet because they capture everything I love about strawberries: sweet, fruity, slightly tart, and downright gorgeous!
We’re using a white cake mix as the base (because I’m all about smart shortcuts), then boosting the flavor with freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry jam so you still get that real strawberry flavor.
The beauty of using cake mix is that you don’t have to measure out the dry ingredients like all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar. It makes these cupcakes so simple to whip up!
These cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, birthdays, or anytime you need a little sweetness in your life!
Ingredient Notes for Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
- White Cake Mix | A reliable base that keeps the cupcakes light and fluffy while saving time.
- Freeze-dried Strawberries | These add intense strawberry flavor without extra moisture like fresh strawberries would add. You will need this for the cake batter and the frosting!
- Unsalted Butter | Melted butter gives the cupcakes a rich flavor!
- Milk | For added moisture.
- Egg Whites | To keep the cupcakes light and fluffy!
- Strawberry Jam | For an extra pop of strawberry flavor in the middle of the cupcakes.
- Cream Cheese | This is the base of the frosting. Make sure it is softened to room temp!
- Unsalted Butter | Adds richness to the frosting. It also needs to be softened to room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar | Sweetens and thickens the frosting to the perfect consistency.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cake Mix: Use vanilla cake mix instead of white. This gives a slightly richer flavor! You can also opt for a gluten-free cake mix if you need gluten-free strawberry cupcakes.
- Mini Cupcakes: To make mini cupcakes, reduce the baking time to about 10–12 minutes for perfect bite-size treats.
- Jam: Raspberry or strawberry-rhubarb jam works beautifully for a twist!
How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling
This recipe comes together quickly with just a mixer and a few bowls, making it perfect for busy baking days.
PREHEAT & PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.
GRIND THE FREEZE-DRIED STRAWBERRIES. Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely ground. You’ll need two packages total — one for the cupcakes and one for the frosting. Each package should yield about ¼ cup strawberry powder once processed.
MAKE THE CUPCAKE BATTER. Add ¼ cup strawberry powder to a large bowl along with the cake mix, melted butter, milk, and egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until combined, then continue mixing for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl and bottom of the bowl as needed.
DIVIDE INTO MUFFIN TIN. Divide the cupcake batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
BAKE. Bake for 18–22 minutes in your preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling or frosting.
FILL. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut a small cone-shaped hole from the top of each cupcake. Fill each cavity with 1 teaspoon strawberry jam, then gently replace the top and press lightly to seal.
MAKE THE STRAWBERRY FROSTING. In a mixing bowl, cream together the room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and remaining strawberry powder until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Place the frosting in a piping bag or swirl on top of the cooled cupcakes with an offset spatula and decorate as desired.
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage Tips
- To store: Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before filling and frosting.
- To make ahead: Bake this strawberry cupcake recipe a day in advance and store unfrosted, then fill and frost before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fat is the key ingredient that gives cupcakes their soft, tender texture, whether it comes from butter, oil, or a combination of both. In this recipe, butter adds richness while milk and egg whites help keep the crumb light and fluffy instead of dense.
Strawberry cupcakes pair beautifully with strawberry cream cheese frosting, vanilla or strawberry buttercream, or even a light whipped frosting. A slightly tangy frosting, like cream cheese, helps balance the sweetness of the strawberries and keeps the cupcakes from tasting overly sugary.
Butter adds rich flavor and generally results in a more dense crumb, kind of like a pound cake. Oil typically creates a softer, more moist crumb. I prefer butter here for the rich flavor!
Looking for More Dessert Recipes?
These easy Red Velvet Cake Cookies and my Raspberry Crumble Bars are both family favorites. I have a yummy Strawberry Cobbler recipe, too!
What to Serve With Strawberry Cupcakes
These strawberry cupcakes pair beautifully with a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea. As a decoration, you can add a strawberry half or pieces of chopped strawberry on top!
For an extra decadent dessert, serve them with a scoop of Strawberry Ice Cream (made with real strawberries) on the side!
More Fan Favorites
- Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Strawberry Jello Pie
- Chocolate Donuts
- Strawberry Biscuits
- Blueberry Shortcake
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Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1-oz. pkg. Freeze dried strawberry slices
- 1 15-oz. box white cake mix
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup milk
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup strawberry jam
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 1-oz. pkg. Freeze dried strawberry slices
- 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ½ – 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Strawberry Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely ground. You’ll need two packages total — one for the cupcakes and one for the frosting. Each package should yield about ¼ cup strawberry powder once processed.
- Add ¼ cup strawberry powder to a large mixing bowl along with the cake mix, melted butter, milk, and egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until combined, then continue mixing for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling or frosting.
- Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut a small cone-shaped hole from the top of each cupcake. Fill each cavity with 1 teaspoon strawberry jam, then gently replace the top and press lightly to seal.
Strawberry Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and remaining strawberry powder until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- Grind the freeze-dried strawberries until very fine. A fine powder blends smoothly into both the batter and frosting, giving you bold strawberry flavor without any gritty texture!
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. Filling the liners about ⅔ full gives the cupcakes room to rise evenly without spilling over the edges. This will result in the perfect strawberry cupcakes!
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling! Warm cupcakes will cause the strawberry jam to melt and soak into the cake instead of staying neatly in the center. Fully cooling them also prevents frosting from sliding or melting when you pipe it on top.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the frosting. Softened cream cheese and butter blend together much more smoothly, giving you a fluffy, lump-free frosting. Pull everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start.
- Add powdered sugar gradually. Adding the powdered sugar a little at a time helps you control the frosting’s texture and sweetness. This makes it easier to adjust the consistency for piping or spreading without ending up with frosting that’s too stiff!
- To store: Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before filling and frosting.
- To make ahead: Bake this strawberry cupcake recipe a day in advance and store unfrosted, then fill and frost before serving.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
