This delightful Strawberry Cupcakes recipe brings the perfect balance of sweet, buttery cake studded with fresh strawberries and topped with creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting. These pretty pink treats are bursting with natural strawberry flavor in every bite, making them perfect for birthdays, spring gatherings, or whenever you need a little sweetness in your life!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Bursting with Real Strawberry Flavor: These cupcakes don’t just look pretty—they’re packed with fresh strawberries in the batter for authentic, juicy flavor that artificial strawberry can’t match.
  • Perfectly Moist: The combination of butter and oil creates an incredibly tender crumb that stays moist for days (though they rarely last that long!).
  • Crowd-Pleasing: I’ve never met anyone who could resist these cupcakes! They’re the first to disappear at parties and gatherings.
  • Versatile: Easy to dress up for special occasions or keep simple for everyday treats. You can customize the frosting color and decorations to suit any event.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Butter: Creates a rich base for the cupcakes, giving them that perfect tender crumb and unmistakable buttery flavor.
  • Sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and helps create that light, fluffy texture we all love.
  • Eggs: Provide structure and richness to the batter. Make sure they’re at room temperature for the best incorporation.
  • Extracts: Vanilla extract adds depth while strawberry extract amplifies the berry flavor. Don’t skip these!
  • Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter.
  • Vegetable Oil: The secret to keeping these cupcakes moist for days. Combined with butter, it’s the perfect texture duo.
  • Baking Powder: Our leavening agent that gives these cupcakes their perfect rise.
  • Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the other flavors and balances the sweetness.
  • Flour: The foundation of our cupcakes. Measure by spooning into measuring cups and leveling off for accuracy.
  • Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show! Finely chopped fresh berries add bursts of flavor and moisture throughout the cupcake.
  • Cream Cheese: Creates a tangy, rich frosting that pairs perfectly with the sweet cupcakes.
  • Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes our frosting to perfect piping consistency.
  • Food Coloring: Totally optional, but a few drops of pink gel coloring can give these a picture-perfect finish.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

Want to put your own spin on these strawberry delights? Try these tasty twists:

  • Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter or drizzle melted chocolate over the finished frosting.
  • Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes: Add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the frosting for a tangy twist.
  • Strawberry Shortcake Version: Top with whipped cream frosting instead of cream cheese for a lighter option.
  • Mixed Berry Cupcakes: Replace half the strawberries with blueberries or raspberries for a mixed berry delight.

How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your cupcake pans with paper liners. Make sure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature for the smoothest batter and frosting.

Step 2: Make the Cupcake Batter

Beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This creates air pockets that make your cupcakes tender. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the extracts, milk, and oil until well combined. The batter might look slightly curdled at this point—don’t worry, that’s normal!

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients

Mix in your baking powder and salt, then gradually add the flour, mixing just until combined. Overmixing can make your cupcakes tough, so use a gentle hand here. Fold in those finely chopped fresh strawberries with a spatula to preserve their texture.

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full—using an ice cream scoop makes this super easy and neat. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops should spring back when lightly touched.

Step 5: Prepare the Frosting

While the cupcakes cool completely, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the extracts, then gradually incorporate the powdered sugar. If using food coloring, add a few drops and mix until you achieve that perfect shade of pink.

Step 6: Decorate and Enjoy

Transfer your frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip and pipe beautiful swirls onto each completely cooled cupcake. Top with fresh strawberry halves for an extra-special finishing touch!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: This isn’t just baking snobbery—room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese really do blend better and create a smoother batter and frosting.
  • Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cupcakes tough instead of tender.
  • Strawberry Prep: Pat your chopped strawberries with paper towels to remove excess moisture before adding to the batter. This prevents them from sinking and creating soggy spots.
  • Cooling is Crucial: Make sure your cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. Even slightly warm cupcakes will melt your beautiful cream cheese frosting.
  • Piping Perfection: If your frosting seems too soft for piping, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes to firm up. If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

How to Serve

These strawberry cupcakes are versatile enough for any occasion! Here are my favorite ways to serve them:

For Everyday Treats

Enjoy them just as they are with a glass of cold milk or afternoon tea. The balance of tangy cream cheese frosting with sweet, fresh strawberry cake is simply perfect.

For Special Occasions

Arrange them on a tiered cake stand and add some fresh strawberries and mint leaves around the display. For birthdays or baby showers, add themed cupcake toppers or sprinkles that match your color scheme.

Perfect Pairings

Serve alongside fresh strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra-special dessert. These cupcakes also pair wonderfully with champagne or prosecco for adult celebrations!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep these cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting requires refrigeration, but always bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Freezing

Unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting.

You can also freeze fully frosted cupcakes! Place them on a baking sheet until the frosting hardens, then wrap individually and freeze. This prevents smashing that beautiful frosting.

Reheating

These cupcakes are best enjoyed at room temperature, so simply remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. If you’re warming unfrosted frozen cupcakes, a few seconds in the microwave will refresh them perfectly.

FAQs

  1. Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

    You can, but they’ll add more moisture to the batter. Make sure to thaw them completely, chop them finely, and pat them very dry with paper towels before adding to the batter. Fresh strawberries will always give you the best texture and flavor.

  2. Why did my strawberries sink to the bottom of the cupcakes?

    This usually happens when the strawberry pieces are too large or too wet. Make sure to chop them finely and pat them dry before folding into the batter. You can also try tossing them in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter to help them stay suspended.

  3. Can I make these cupcakes without strawberry extract?

    Absolutely! While the extract enhances the strawberry flavor, these cupcakes will still be delicious without it. Consider adding an extra 1/4 cup of finely chopped strawberries to boost the natural flavor, or substitute with additional vanilla extract.

  4. My cream cheese frosting is too soft for piping. What can I do?

    Cream cheese frosting can be tricky in warm weather. If your frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before piping. You can also add a bit more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Just remember that adding more sugar will make the frosting sweeter.

Final Thoughts

These Strawberry Cupcakes are more than just a treat—they’re little bites of happiness! Whether you’re making them for a special celebration or just because it’s Tuesday, they’re sure to bring smiles all around. The combination of fresh strawberries in the batter and that luscious cream cheese frosting is truly unbeatable. Trust me, once you try making these from scratch, those bakery cupcakes will never taste quite as good again!

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Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

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  • Author: Stacy
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 18 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Delicious and moist, these Strawberry Cupcakes are bursting with the flavors of fresh strawberries and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting. Perfectly sweet and easy to make, they are ideal for any celebration or as a delightful treat for yourself!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

For the Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • Pink food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven
    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 18 sections of a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. Incorporate eggs and extracts
    Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract and strawberry extract. Mix until everything is fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Add liquids
    Add the vegetable oil and milk into the mixture. Stir until the batter is smooth and well-mixed.
  5. Add dry ingredients
    Add the baking powder and sea salt, mixing until incorporated. Then, gradually add the flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing gently until there are no dry patches.
  6. Fold in strawberries
    Carefully fold the finely chopped fresh strawberries into the batter until evenly distributed.
  7. Fill cupcake liners
    Using a spoon or scoop, fill each cupcake liner 2/3 of the way full with batter.
  8. Bake cupcakes
    Place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of a cupcake—if it comes out clean, they are ready. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
  9. Prepare frosting
    While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  10. Add extracts and sugar
    Mix in the strawberry extract and vanilla extract. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating after each addition until the frosting is smooth and streak-free. Add optional pink food coloring at this step, mixing thoroughly.
  11. Decorate cupcakes
    Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip. Pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a fresh strawberry half if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

  • This recipe makes 18 cupcakes, but you can double or halve it as needed.
  • The cupcakes can be frozen for later use—refer to freezing tips for the best results. However, they taste best at room temperature.
  • Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting.
  • You can use gel food coloring for a more vibrant frosting color or try different frostings for variety.
  • Garnish the cupcakes with fresh strawberries for an extra touch of freshness.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
  • Calories: 225kcal
  • Sugar: 20g
  • Sodium: 120mg
  • Fat: 12g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 27g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 50mg
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Hi, I’m Stacy Corbo! From quick dinners to family favorites, I’m here to help you bring joy to the table, one recipe at a time.

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