Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes (Printable version)
Vanilla cupcakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting, capturing classic strawberry shortcake flavors.
# What you'll need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - ½ cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
→ Filling
10 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Whipped Cream Frosting
13 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
14 - 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Decoration
16 - 6 fresh strawberries, halved
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
04 - Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Gently fold in chopped strawberries until evenly distributed.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Toss diced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to macerate.
08 - Once cupcakes are cool, use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove a small portion from the center of each cupcake. Fill each with about 1–2 teaspoons of strawberry filling.
09 - Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
10 - Pipe or spread frosting onto filled cupcakes. Decorate each with a halved strawberry. Serve immediately for best texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The fresh strawberries inside keep every bite incredibly moist and bursting with flavor
- That whipped cream frosting tastes like eating a cloud sweetened with sunshine
- They are literally portable strawberry shortcake which means you can eat them anywhere, any time
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are absolutely crucial for achieving that perfect cupcake texture
- The whipped cream frosting will start to lose its structure after a few hours so frost just before serving
- Overmixing the batter will make your cupcakes tough so stop as soon as the flour disappears
03 -
- Brush the cupcake cores with a little of the strawberry syrup before replacing them for extra moisture
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for 10 minutes before whipping the cream for faster results