Description
These Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and bursting with natural strawberry flavor. Both the cupcakes and their creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting are infused with real strawberries, making each bite delightfully fruity and sweet. Perfect for parties, gatherings, or a delightful treat at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cupcakes:
- 10 ounces (2 cups) frozen whole strawberries
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) cake flour
- 1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
For the Frosting:
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces and softened
- Reserved strawberry solids (from the cupcakes preparation)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Strawberries: Transfer frozen strawberries to a large bowl, cover, and microwave until soft and juicy, about 5 minutes. Place strawberries in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small saucepan and firmly press to extract juice. You should get at least 3/4 cup of juice; reserve solids for the frosting.
- Reduce Strawberry Juice: Bring the strawberry juice to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6–8 minutes. Whisk milk into juice until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the strawberry milk mixture, egg whites, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.
- Add Butter: Add softened butter, one piece at a time, to the dry ingredients and mix until only pea-sized pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add half of the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Finish mixing the batter by hand to ensure even consistency.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 24-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15–19 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter and confectioners’ sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the reserved strawberry solids and salt, and beat until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the strawberry frosting on top of each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for creamy frosting.
- You can use fresh strawberries instead of frozen, but adjust juicing and reducing steps accordingly.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting; let them sit at room temperature before serving for best flavor.
- Lining your muffin tin with paper liners helps with easy cupcake removal and cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
