I can’t tell you how many strawberry cupcakes I’ve had that lack real strawberry flavor and taste like it came from a mix. I worked so hard on developing this recipe because I wanted y’all to be able to make scratch cupcakes that just scream STRAWBERRY. I add strawberry puree right into a batter so you get it in every bite. I don’t add any food coloring because I like how natural the color looks. Then I top them with a homemade strawberry buttercream that’s super fruity and tastes almost like strawberry ice cream. I love how tender and delish these turn out, and if you feel a little intimidated, I have a video to walk you through it. If you love my strawberry pound cake, you will love this.
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Video Tutorial
How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes
Step 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the granulated sugar and butter and beat together on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time to your stand mixer, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 2: Reduce your mixer speed to low and mix in the strawberry puree.
Step 3: Don’t worry if it looks a little curdled. It will definitely fix itself.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 of the flour mixture to your stand mixer. Mix on the lowest speed until combined.
Step 5: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and oil. Add to your stand mixer bowl.
Step 6: Add the remaining flour mixture to your stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed until well incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the vanilla and strawberry extracts and food coloring, if using. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Your finished batter should look like this.
Step 7: Using an ice cream scoop (with trigger release) or a spoon, scoop the batter into the cupcake liners until each is 3/4 full. Be careful not to overfill.
Step 8: Bake for 17 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean but still moist. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly cover the cupcakes with foil or plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
For the Buttercream
Step 9: Clean your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Add the confectioners’ sugar and butter and mix on low speed, increasing the speed to medium-high once the sugar is fully incorporated. Continue to mix until light and fluffy.
Step 10: Add the strawberry puree, strawberry extract, and salt and beat until the mixture is cotton-candy pink and the puree is fully incorporated.
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Step 11: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe them with the buttercream (Here, I used a large star tip) and serve.
Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 sticks
- 2 cups fresh whole strawberries pureed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
For the Buttercream:
- 3.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks
- 1/4 cup pureed fresh strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two 12-well muffin pans with 20 to 24 cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the granulated sugar and butter and beat together on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time to your stand mixer, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce your mixer speed to low and mix in the strawberry puree.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 of the flour mixture to your stand mixer. Mix on the lowest speed until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and oil. Add to your stand mixer bowl.
- Add the remaining flour mixture to your stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed until well incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Add the vanilla and strawberry extracts and red food coloring if you want to amp up the flavor but I leave it out. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Using an ice cream scoop (with trigger release) or a spoon, scoop the batter into the cupcake liners until each is 3/4 full. Be careful not to overfill.
- Bake for 17 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean but still moist.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly cover the cupcakes with foil or plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
For the Buttercream:
- Clean your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Add the confectioners’ sugar and butter and mix on low speed, increasing the speed to medium-high once the sugar is fully incorporated. Continue to mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the strawberry puree, strawberry extract, and salt and beat until the mixture is cotton-candy pink and the puree is fully incorporated.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe them with the buttercream (Here, I used a large star tip) and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Quality Strawberries: Use the best strawberries you can find! Go for the brightest red, plump berries for the best result. If your strawberries are slightly under ripe, you’ll want to hull them, to make sure those flavorless white parts don’t find their way into the cake or frosting.
- Go Room Temp: This means butter, eggs and sour cream for your batter so it ends up smooth and well blended.
- Bake in the Middle: Bake the cupcakes in the middle of the oven. If splitting the pans between two racks, rotate them halfway through baking so its nice and evenly baked in the end.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add in your dry ingredients, just fold everything together but don’t overdo it so it becomes dense.
Recipe Help
If you feel like this just might be too hard, you can swap in my easy strawberry cake recipe and turn into cupcakes. I start with a white cake mix but I really add a ton of strawberry flavor with freeze dried strawberries AND puree.
Yes go with red and just a few drops so it doesn’t look too intense.
Yep! Thaw and drain the extra liquid before you puree so the cupcakes don’t get watery.
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These were really good! The recipe was simple and resulted in moist cupcakes. I was, however, slightly disappointed by the flavor. I was hoping more strawberry would come through (and yes – I even used the extract!) It’s very subtle but they are still quite tasty! 🙂
Hello Miranda, I usually put about a half a cup of strained frozen strawberries (the ones in the tub not the bag). That will definitely bring out that strawberry flavor. Hope this helps!
These cupcakes are delicious! Can this recipe be used for a layer cake? I have someone who wants me to make a strawberry grooms cake. It would be a 10 inch with a 6 in on top.
Can’t wait to give these a try, they look amazing! So glad I found your site, absolutely refreshing!
Hooray!!
Do you measure the strawberries (the 2 cups) whole or do you measure 2 cups of puree?
Measure whole then puree
I’m planning on making these tonight for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow, but I can’t tell..do they come out looking pink? Or more of a grayish, if so, do I just add more of the food coloring?
This sounds delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
If you want them to be more pink, I would definitely add more food coloring since it is more on the natural pink looking side. Let me know how it turns out!
Can you make these a day ahead and frost the next day without them drying out?
YES! Just make sure you keep them tightly covered with plastic wrap leaving no holes for air. They should be fine that way.
How many cupcakes does this recipe yield?
Can you substitute avocado oil for vegetable oil?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure that you will have the same effect since they aren’t exactly the same.
anxious to try these. you said you like the lorran (sp) oils for flavoring. There is a difference between extract and oil. Do you use the oil like is used in candy making? thank you
Definitely try the extract. The oil is much much stronger.