Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
These fresh strawberry cupcakes are a spin on my famous strawberry cake, which has been delighting taste buds and collecting rave reviews since its publication in 2017. Made without gelatin, these cupcakes pack a punch of real strawberry flavor from fresh berries, creating moist, fluffy cupcakes that get topped with an equally flavorful strawberry buttercream.
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES
- 1 cup sliced strawberries2 approximately 8 large strawberries
- 1 and ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons (195g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white room temperature1
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature1
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature1
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) full fat sour cream room temperature1
- ½ cup (120g) milk any; room temperature1
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- ½ cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 to 2 and ½ cups (240-300g) powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons (30-45mL) milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line the wells of a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Place the chopped strawberries in a blender or food processor and pulse about 10-12 times until the strawberries are somewhere between "finely chopped" and "pureed." You want mostly large and small chunks with some liquid. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 and ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons (195g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of the mixer you plan to use for the cupcake batter fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg white to medium-soft peaks. This means you want the peaks to stand up but curl over slightly when the whisk is lifted away. Set aside.1 large egg white
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg, and sour cream and continue blending until everything is completely incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg, 2 Tablespoons (30g) full fat sour cream
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk. Mix until batter is just combined.½ cup (120g) milk
- Remove the bowl from the mixer, then add the whipped egg white. Use a large spatula to gently fold the egg white into the batter. When the egg white is mostly incorporated, add the strawberries and fold them in until evenly dispersed. Continue to work gently so as not to deflate the batter.1 cup sliced strawberries2
- Spoon batter evenly into the cupcake liners filling ½ to ⅔ of the way full (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a trigger– one scant scoop full). Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the cupcakes need a little longer, indicated by wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a minute longer and retesting, taking care not to overbake the cupcakes as they will dry out. You may need to bake an additional minute, test, and rebake and retest until cupcakes are properly finished. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pans completely on a wire rack before removing and decorating.
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.½ cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. Add the strawberry powder and salt, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.2 to 2 and ½ cups (240-300g) powdered sugar, 2 to 3 Tablespoons (30-45mL) milk or cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
ASSEMBLE THE CUPCAKES
- Frost the cupcakes using a large zip top bag with the corner snipped off or a pastry bag fitted with your decorating tip of choice.
- Store cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature up to 4 days or in the refrigerator up to 6 days.
Video
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: it's important your ingredients are all at room temperature to ensure even incorporation into the batter.
- Strawberries: you can use frozen strawberries, too. Thaw them first then blot or squeeze some of the liquid out of them before using. You will be pureeing them, but you want to start with halved pieces first instead of just blending whole strawberries.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: freeze-dried strawberries are typically found in the dried fruit section of your grocery store. If you can't find them there, check the aisle with bulk candy, if your grocery store has one.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 799kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 88g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 255mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 6mg
