Desserts / Holidays / Valentines Day / Vegetarian

Strawberry Cupcakes

Written by Katerina

Published Apr 27, 2023

These Strawberry Cupcakes are filled with a fresh, sweet strawberry filling, and topped with ultra-fluffy strawberry buttercream frosting. The perfect dessert for any special occasion!

A strawberry cupcake in a pink cupcake liner with a tiny sprig of mint on top. More cupcakes are visible in the background of the shot.

Homemade Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling

When fresh strawberries come in season, I am always tempted to grab a pint, two, or three. They’re just so vibrant, juicy, and flavorful, whether added to a bowl of cereal in the morning or served as flaky strawberry shortcake with sweetened whipped cream. (Excuse me while I go drool!)

This filled strawberry cupcake is a gorgeous dessert recipe that you can make for a special event – think birthday, baby shower, Valentine’s Day… anytime you want something exquisite but easy to make.

That’s right, easy to make! These cupcakes will seem like a bakery masterpiece, but even a beginning baker can follow this simple recipe and create a killer batch of strawberry cupcakes. Ready to impress? Let’s do it!

A strawberry cupcake, cut in half to show the filling.

What Is the Difference Between Buttercream and Cream Cheese Frosting?

These two frostings are really similar, with the main difference being that buttercream is (usually) all butter, with no cream cheese, while cream cheese frosting uses a generous amount of both. For that reason, buttercream is typically a little lighter and sweeter, while cream cheese frosting is a little more dense with a tangier flavor.

For this recipe, I combined the two to get a light, fluffy buttercream that has just a hint of tangy cream cheese. Adding just a small amount helps give the frosting a little extra oomph, and a little extra stability, too.

Ingredients for strawberry cupcakes measured and arranged on a work surface.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

There are basically three components to this recipe: the cupcakes themselves, the strawberry filling, and the strawberry cream cheese frosting. Here’s what you’ll need for each one:

Cupcake Ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour is my go-to for most baking recipes, including these cupcakes.
Baking Powder: Make sure to use baking powder, not baking soda, or the cupcakes won’t rise properly.
Salt
Butter: Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. You could also use salted butter, but if you do, you’ll want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar, or you could use light brown sugar for a more warm and golden cupcake. (This may also change the texture somewhat.)
Eggs: Large eggs, at room temperature.
Yogurt: Plain yogurt, also at room temperature.
Vanilla: I like to use pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste for a more intense vanilla flavor.
Whole Milk: Room temperature. You could substitute half-and-half for a richer cupcake.

Strawberry Filling Ingredients

Strawberries: Chopped, fresh strawberries. I don’t recommend using frozen strawberries, since they typically are a little more watery and soft.
Sugar: Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or even honey will work for the filling mixture.
Cornstarch: Or arrowroot powder. This will thicken the filling slightly so it doesn’t soak the cupcakes.
Vanilla

Buttercream Ingredients

Butter: Again, I like to use unsalted butter, but you could also use salted butter and leave out the pinch of salt in the recipe. Either way, have the butter at room temperature before you start.
Powdered Sugar: Don’t use regular sugar – it’s too grainy and will make wet spots in the frosting.
Cream Cheese: Just a couple of tablespoons will add richness and body to the frosting.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is used to thin the frosting to the correct consistency.
Strawberry Filling: The strawberry filling in this recipe isn’t just for the cupcakes – it’s also an ingredient in the frosting.
Vanilla
Salt
Garnishes: Additional strawberries and/or white chocolate shavings make lovely garnishes for this sweet, strawberry dessert.

How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes

Now that we’ve looked at the three ingredient lists, let’s look at how you actually bring each part of this recipe together. It might seem like a lot, but it goes by surprisingly quickly! Make sure to read through the recipe a couple of times before you get started, so you’ll be familiar with the process from the start.

Cupcake Instructions

Combine the Dry Ingredients. To get started, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then get a medium-sized mixing bowl, and whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Combine the Wet Ingredients, Except Milk. In a separate, larger mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in completely. Then beat in the yogurt and vanilla.

Beating eggs into creamed butter and sugar.

Vanilla and milk added to wet cupcake batter ingredients.

Make the Cupcake Batter. Gradually combine the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, alternating between them. You should start and end with dry ingredients.

Mixing dry and wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Fill the Cupcake Liners. Divide the cupcake batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake! Bake the cupcakes for 18 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and let them cool completely.

Strawberry Filling Instructions

Cook the Filling Ingredients. In a small saucepan, mix together the chopped strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Heat these ingredients over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the strawberries are soft and the mixture has thickened. This should take about 5 – 7 minutes.

Cool and Prepare to Pipe. Remove the mixture from the heat, and let it cool completely. Then pour or spoon the strawberry filling into a piping bag. Set aside.

Buttercream Instructions

Cream the Butter and Sugar. Combine the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl, and beat together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the Remaining Frosting Ingredients. Add the cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla extract, salt, and three tablespoons of the strawberry filling to the bowl. Beat the frosting until well-combined.
Get Ready to Pipe. Scoop or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice.

Assembly

Fill the Cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer or a small, sharp knife to make a small opening in the center of each cupcake. Don’t go all the way through to the bottom, or the filling will leak out. Fill each cupcake with the cooled strawberry filling.
Frost the Cupcakes. Pipe the buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Garnish them with fresh strawberries or strawberry slices, plus white chocolate shavings, if desired.

Cupcakes stuffed with strawberry filling.

Overhead shot of a cupcake next to an unwrapped cupcake liner and half a strawberry.

Baker’s Notes

As with any cake recipe, there are tips and tricks that can be helpful to know before you begin. Here are some quick baker’s notes to make sure your cupcakes turn out gorgeous, every time.

Mix Correctly: While the order for mixing these cupcakes might seem a little complex, it’s an old-fashioned technique that helps give the cake batter a truly velvety, dreamy texture. Don’t get impatient, or the crumb won’t be as perfect.
Room Temperature Ingredients: It is helpful to have your refrigerated ingredients like eggs, yogurt, and milk at room temperature. This will help them blend together smoothly and completely in the batter without overmixing. However, the most important ingredients to bring to room temperature are the butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Set those out in advance for a creamy frosting without lumps.
Chopping the Strawberries: Keep in mind that biting into a cupcake with large chunks of strawberry in the middle might make it difficult to eat. I recommend aiming for fairly small pieces of strawberry.
Layer Cake/Sheet Cake: This recipe can be doubled to make three 8″ layers, or one 9×13″ sheet cake. 🎉

A strawberry cupcake garnished with mint and strawaberry.

Should Strawberry Cupcakes Be Refrigerated?

Yes, since these cupcakes are filled with fresh strawberry filling and frosted with buttercream that contains cream cheese, they need to be stored in your refrigerator, not on the countertop. Keep them in an airtight container so they stay fresh. They should keep for up to 5 days.

A strawberry cupcake set on a plate and cut in half to show the filling.

Can I Freeze Filled Cupcakes?

You can freeze the cupcakes, and you can also freeze the buttercream. However, the filling is a little more delicate and can get watery when thawed – so I recommend making the filling once you’re ready to fill the cupcakes and flavor the frosting.
If you do decide to freeze the cupcakes and/or frosting, make sure to package them carefully. I recommend cooling the cupcakes completely and then wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap. Take the wrapped cupcakes and put them into a couple of large zip-top freezer bags, and freeze for up to three months.
Frosting freezes well in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months as well.

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