Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes are sweet, with a perfect crumble. Made with fresh strawberries and frosted with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Fresh strawberry cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert! Made with fresh strawberries, these cupcakes are deliciously moist and bursting with flavor.
They’re perfect for summer parties, picnics, and potlucks. And, they’re super easy to make! So, if you’re looking for a delicious and refreshing dessert, look no further than Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes!
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We love strawberries in this house. A few years back I made this strawberry cake with a strawberry buttercream frosting. It was such a hit!
But I don’t always want or need to make a large, 2-layer cake. Sometimes I just want some cupcakes. So I whipped up these delicious little gems with some fresh strawberry chunks.
Then, because I already had a strawberry buttercream frosting, I decided to make these with a strawberry cream cheese frosting that was definitely a new favorite here. I know you’ll love these as much as we do.
strawberry cream cheese frosting
Here are some commonly asked questions
How should I store the cupcakes?
You can store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Once they are frosted, I recommend refrigeration because of the butter and dairy in the frosting.
Keep in mind that if you decide to add decorations such as sanding sugar or nonpareils – the colors will bleed when stored in a moist place like the fridge. Decorations such as jimmies should hold up fine to refrigeration.
Is food coloring unhealthy?
Not necessarily. Food coloring itself is not unhealthy. Some people have medical conditions and allergies that are agitated by food coloring. Additionally, some studies suggest that certain food dyes can lead to hyperactivity in children but the correlation between the two is somewhat murky.
Some people would rather not consume too much food coloring to reduce the number of dyes they ingest. There are many plant-based alternatives to artificial food dyes available for sale on the web. For example, some companies will use beet juice as a natural alternative to red dyes. Be sure to do your homework to find a product that best suits your interest. There are so many out there!
Should I use liquid, gel, or powdered food coloring in this recipe?
For this recipe, the type of food coloring you decide to use is interchangeable. Typically, liquid food coloring contains a bit of water and can make your batter runnier if used in excess. In situations where your recipe is moisture sensitive, powdered food coloring will be best.
You can also use gel food coloring – adjusting the amount to your desired shade. For this recipe, feel free to use what you are comfortable with.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, absolutely, that will work just fine. Just be sure to thaw them & pat them dry before using.
How do I store strawberry cream cheese frosting?
Cream cheese frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Simply let it come to room temperature before using it.
Can I freeze strawberry cream cheese frosting?
Yes, you can freeze this cream cheese frosting. Simply place it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it.
What do you mean by soft butter?
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
My frosting is runny. How do I fix it?
Runny frosting can be a frustrating development when you are trying to complete your cake recipe. If you find that your frosting is runny, simply try adding more confectioner’s sugar to the mix. This will allow for the absorption of more oils and moisture throughout the mix, giving it a thicker consistency.
Ingredients for Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter- room temperature
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- strawberry extract
- whole or 2% milk
- vegetable oil
- baking powder
- table salt
- all-purpose flour
- fresh strawberries- chopped
Ingredients for Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- cream cheese- room temperature
- unsalted butter- room temperature
- strawberry extract
- vanilla extract
- confectioner’s sugar
- pink food coloring optional
How to soften the butter to room temperature?
First
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
Second
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
Third
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat together until creamy.
- Once the mixture is creamy, add in the eggs and extracts. Mix until well combined.
- Continue by adding the vegetable oil and milk.
- Once mixed, add in the baking powder and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour in ½ cup increments until all the flour is fully incorporated into the batter.
- Fold the chopped strawberries into the batter.
- In a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, fill each liner 2/3 of the way full of batter.
- Place the pan in the oven and allow to bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once fully baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
How to Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the extracts and mix.
- Next, add in the confectioner’s sugar in ½ cup increments until all of it is fully incorporated.
- If you wish to add food coloring, place in the desired amount, and mix until the frosting is streak-free.
Decorate
- Place the frosting into a piping bag prepared with your desired tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.
- Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry half and serve.
NOTES
- It is very important that all the butter and cream cheese is at room temperature, I would recommend setting it out 3-4 hours before starting the recipe.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Products I love when making Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes…
This cupcake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cupcakes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cupcake recipe.
- clear vanilla extract **see notes
- cupcake wrappers
- mixer
Decorations, optional
- plastic decorator bag
- #1M decorator tip or your favorite
If you love this easy strawberry cupcake recipe, you’re going to love these other cupcake ideas too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter- room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp strawberry extract
- ¼ cup whole or 2% milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fresh strawberries- chopped
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese- room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter- room temperature
- 1 tsp strawberry extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3½ cups confectioner’s sugar
- pink food coloring optional
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat together until creamy.
- Once the mixture is creamy, add in the eggs and extracts. Mix until well combined.
- Continue with adding the vegetable oil and milk.
- Once mixed, add in the baking powder and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add in the flour in ½ cup increments until all the flour is fully incorporated into the batter.
- Fold the chopped strawberries into the batter.
- In a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, fill each liner 2/3 of the way full of batter.
- Place the pan in the oven and allow to bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once fully baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, combine in the cream cheese and butter. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the extracts and mix.
- Next add in the confectioner’s sugar in ½ cup increments until all the it is fully incorporated.
- If you wish to add food coloring, place in the desired amount, and mix until the frosting is streak free.
Decorate
- Place the frosting into a piping bag prepared with your desired tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.
- Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry half and serve.
Notes
- It is very important that all the butter and cream cheese is room temperature, I would recommend setting it out 3-4 hours before starting the recipe.
- Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Equipment
- 2 muffin tins
- 1 Mixer
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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