Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

This cake recipe has the perfect strawberry flavor. Light, fluffy cupcakes and the MOST amazing strawberry buttercream icing.  I wanted these cupcakes to be all from scratch. No jello here, please.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes on a red polka dot tablecloth.

My daughter requested strawberry cupcakes for her birthday this year.  Of course, I’m going to do my level best to make it happen for her!

Fresh strawberry puree in a glass measuring cup.

Recipe Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder and salt – Gives the cupcake lift.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Unsalted butter – Softened.
  • Eggs – Large size eggs.
  • Milk and vanilla extract
  • Strawberry puree and Chopped strawberries – To give the strawberry flavor.

For the Strawberry Buttercream

  • Unsalted and salted butter – Using both add the salt needed for the frosting.
  • Strawberry puree – Fresh strawberry puree gives the best strawberry flavor.
  • Powdered sugar – For volume in the buttercream.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt – If needed.

Tips

  • All ingredients should be at room temperature to ensure they incorporate thoroughly. This helps produce light, fluffy, and evenly baked cupcakes.
  • Find the best quality strawberries you can find. Look for bright red, plump, and no bad spots.

How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line a cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Puree the strawberries and finely chop another 1/4 cup of strawberries.

Cupcake batter in a metal mixing bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine strawberry puree, room temperature butter, and sugar.

Slowly add in eggs and vanilla. (Add food coloring if desired)

I didn’t add any food coloring but if you want them pinker you can certainly use some. The batter was pink enough for me.

In another bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add into sugar mixture.

Slowly add milk and stir gently. Stir in chopped strawberries.

Cupcake batter divided among cupcake liners.

Fill the cupcake liners with an equal amount of batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

This can also make a 9×13 strawberry cake.

Fresh strawberry cupcakes topped with fresh strawberry buttercream icing on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes cool, whip up the buttercream icing.

Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

Add 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strawberry puree to a small saucepan. Heat mixture over medium-low heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by about 2/3 to 3 Tbsp, about 10 – 14 minutes

Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then refrigerate until cool.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip unsalted and salted butter until very pale and fluffy (nearly white). Stop and scrape down the bowl occasionally throughout the entire mixing process.

Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), then blend in 3 Tbsp reduced strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional red food coloring.

Add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and continue to mix until frosting is pale and fluffy, adding an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.

Once the icing is done put it in a piping bag and decorate away. That’s the fun part, right?

Storage

The cupcakes are best stored in the refrigerator covered tightly, for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature. The buttercream after being chilled will get firm, so remove them from the fridge about 1 hour before serving.

Freezing

Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes wrapped individually in a freezer-safe container or bag up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Frost as instructed.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes on a red polka dot tablecloth.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

No jello or food coloring in these cupcakes. Perfect flavor, moist crumb, topped with strawberry buttercream!
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 574kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  • ½ Cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Cup milk
  • 1/2 Cup strawberry puree
  • 1/4 Cup chopped strawberries
  • 3-4 drops of red food coloring Optional

Buttercream Icing

  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strawberry puree
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter almost room temperature
  • 1/4 cup salted butter almost room temperature
  • 2 1/2 – 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Combine strawberry puree butter and sugar.
  • Slowly add in eggs and vanilla (Add food coloring if desired)
  • Whisk dry Ingredients together and add into sugar mixture.
  • Slowly add milk and stir gently.
  • Slowly stir in smashed strawberries.
  • Pour batter into a cupcake pan or 9×13 cake pan and bake. A cake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees, or cupcakes for 20 minutes on 350 degrees.
  • Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

  • Add 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strawberry puree to a small saucepan.
  • Heat mixture over medium-low heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by about 2/3 to 3 Tbsp, about 10 – 14 minutes (measure and if it isn’t quite 3 Tbsp then return and continue to simmer if it’s not reduced to correct amount it will make frosting runny).
  • Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then refrigerate until cool
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip unsalted and salted butter until very pale and fluffy (nearly white. Stop and scrape down bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).
  • Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar, then blend in 3 Tbsp reduced strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional red food coloring.
  • Add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and continue to mix until frosting is pale and fluffy, adding an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 78g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 13.1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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54 Comments

  1. May I be the first to say that I DID make these. They are amazing and I received stellar reviews from those I made them for. They were moist, light and spot on flavor in the cake and frosting alike. I did not alter or embellish this recipe in any way. They are absolutely perfect as they are. Definitely my strawberry cupcake and frosting from now on!! Thank you for your recipe.👩‍🍳

    1. Oh, Terry! This makes us so happy! Thank you so much for taking the time to drop by and let us know how much you enjoyed the cupcakes!!!!

  2. I’ve done something similar with raspberries in the past so I bet strawberries are great too! Thanks for joining in with #BAKEoftheWEEK !5 stars

  3. Ooooh yum! These look so pretty and sound delicious. I love adding fresh fruit to bakes, it makes them less of a guilty snack! x #BakeoftheWeek

  4. They look amazing! I’m so glad you linked up at You Link It, We Make It! You are one of our two main features for tomorrow! I hope you come back tomorrow and link up some more! And if you send me an email at uncookiecutter@gmail.com from your email that you use for Pinterst, I’ll send you an invitation to our group board. Thanks again for sharing this amazing recipe!

  5. Oh My these look great and no jelly or food coloring… great job!! I’m featuring you tomorrow! 🙂 Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday! hope to see you again this week! Pinned!

  6. These cupcakes look so good! Thanks for sharing your recipe at Craft Frenzy Friday at Mom Home Guide!

  7. Wow I am huge foodie and cupcakes are always my most favorite thing ever! I love these. Will have to pin it for later to try out. Yummy. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round of #sharewithme5 stars

  8. looks yummy! Pinned & shared. Thanks for joining in to share at the Inspiration Spotlight party. See you again soon!

  9. Love that you used fresh strawberries! I definitely prefer the fresh ones to frozen or jarred. I cannot wait to try!

    From the Pin Junkie Party!

  10. Wow, they look fantastic, strawberrys are my favourite fruit and cake is my favourite food!! #Sharewithme5 stars

  11. I’ve never seen a strawberry cupcake recipe using fresh strawberries – yum! Pinning and tweeting to share! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at Brag About it!

  12. I really REALLY want to try these! I have strawberry cupcakes at my wedding and haven’t had any since. They were so good and I didn’t know where to start with a recipe. I can’t wait to give this a try. They look so delicious! Pinning for later!

  13. I have been wanting cupcakes for some reason lately and I bet my daughter would love strawberry ones. Stopping by from Two Uses Tuesday. I hope you have a great week!

  14. Yum what a great sounding recipes with real Strawberries! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Sharing on Twitter! Have a great week!
    Kim5 stars

  15. I always struggle using strawberries in my cupcakes. I hadn’t thought about pureeing then and adding the that way. I will have to try it! #tastytuesdays

  16. Yum!! Love the fresh strawberry in this!! How delicious– I love when fresh fruit is used in baking.

  17. Beautiful cupcakes! I am looking forward to trying these! Thank so much for sharing at Celebrate It!

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