Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Homemade Strawberry Buttercream

Meet my new favorite: fresh strawberry cupcakes topped with strawberry buttercream. Is there anything more charming than a perfectly pink cupcake? Like many favorite recipes, this one took time to perfect—I experimented repeatedly until I achieved the ideal texture and flavor.

Recipes that use boxed white cake mix and strawberry gelatin are common online, but those versions often result in dry, tough cupcakes. I wanted a from-scratch cupcake made with fresh strawberries and a tender, moist crumb that isn’t soggy or crumbly. This recipe delivers pronounced strawberry flavor while keeping the cupcakes soft and light. After many tests, I’m delighted with the result.

The key challenge is achieving strong strawberry flavor without adding too much fruit moisture. Fresh strawberries and strawberry jam provide the base of flavor in the batter, while freeze-dried strawberries folded into the buttercream give a concentrated, moisture-free burst of real strawberry taste.

For a soft crumb I use sour cream and all-purpose flour. I tested milk, buttermilk, and sour cream; sour cream produced the best texture. I also compared cake flour and all-purpose flour—cake flour made the cupcakes too crumbly, while all-purpose gave a light texture that held together nicely.

An ingredient you may not have tried is butter vanilla bakery emulsion. Unlike standard extracts, bakery emulsions deliver an intense flavor that stands up during baking. If you prefer, you can substitute vanilla extract, but the emulsion adds a richer, more persistent buttery vanilla note to both the cupcakes and the frosting.

Start with room-temperature ingredients for best results—allow butter, sour cream, and egg to sit at room temperature for an hour or two. If you’re short on time you can proceed sooner, but bringing ingredients to room temperature helps the batter come together more smoothly. I like to measure everything before beginning so the process goes quickly.

This batter uses about 2/3 cup finely diced strawberries (about three large berries). Toss the diced fruit with two tablespoons of the flour to coat the pieces—this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes.

Combine the remaining flour with baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and butter vanilla emulsion (or vanilla extract), then alternate adding the sour cream and dry ingredients in thirds, ending with the flour mixture. Mix in the strawberry jam so the batter is evenly flavored.

Gently fold the flour-coated strawberries into the batter by hand so the fruit remains distributed without overworking the batter. Divide the batter among 15–16 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. This yields 15–16 cupcakes and typically requires baking in two pans or two batches.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 22–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

While the cupcakes bake or cool, make the strawberry buttercream. Grind 10–12 grams of freeze-dried strawberries to a fine powder in a blender or food processor—this powder adds real strawberry flavor without moisture, which is important because extra liquid can thin buttercream.

Beat softened butter until smooth, then add powdered sugar in stages, mixing until combined. Add the bakery emulsion (or vanilla), heavy cream, and salt, then finish adding powdered sugar. Stir in the strawberry powder with the final cup of sugar and beat until the buttercream is smooth, thick, and fluffy. This makes ample frosting for generous piping; use smaller tips for less icing.

These cupcakes are a lovely choice for baby showers, bridal showers, Valentine’s Day, Easter, birthdays, or any celebration that calls for pretty, flavorful cupcakes. I hope you enjoy making and sharing them.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

Marsha Maxwell

These made-from-scratch fresh strawberry cupcakes are bursting with bright strawberry flavor! Topped with smooth strawberry buttercream, these pink cupcakes are perfect for showers, holidays, birthdays, or any celebration.

4.38 from 8 votes

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Course Desserts

Servings 15 -16 cupcakes

Calories 415 kcal

Equipment

Piping tips and a cupcake pan are helpful; a blender or food processor is useful for grinding freeze-dried strawberries.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 2/3 cup finely diced strawberries 1/4 inch dice
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 224g)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar (about 175g)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 113g), room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon butter vanilla bakery emulsion or vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream (about 185ml)
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam

For the frosting:

• 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, ground (10–12g)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (about 235g)
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar (about 480g)
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon butter vanilla bakery emulsion or vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-well cupcake pan with liners or spray wells with baking spray.
• Dice the strawberries and toss with 2 tablespoons of the flour to coat. Set aside.
• Whisk the remaining flour with baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Add the egg and emulsion or extract and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately in thirds, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and scrape the bowl as needed.
• Stir in the strawberry jam until evenly incorporated.
• Fold in the diced strawberries by hand until distributed throughout the batter.
• Divide batter among 15–16 cupcake cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Do not overfill.
• Bake 22–24 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

• Grind the freeze-dried strawberries to a fine powder—about just under 1/4 cup.
• Beat softened butter until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Add powdered sugar in stages, mixing until combined after each addition.
• Add emulsion (or extract), heavy cream, and salt and beat until smooth.
• With the final cup of sugar, add the strawberry powder and beat until the frosting is thick, smooth, and fluffy.
• Pipe or spread the buttercream on cooled cupcakes and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcake with frostingCalories: 415 kcalCarbohydrates: 46 gProtein: 2 gFat: 25 g

Keyword fresh strawberry cupcakes, strawberry buttercream

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