Strawberry Cupcakes
These are the best strawberry cupcakes! They're soft white cupcakes filled with strawberry jam and topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Jam
- 10 oz (283 g) quartered, fresh strawberries
- 6 tablespoon (75 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
For the White Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup (140 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- 5 tablespoon (70 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz. (114 g) cream cheese, cold
- 2 ½ cups (325 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (15 g) freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
For the Strawberry Jam
- Add the strawberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice to a medium saucepan.10 oz (283 g) quartered, fresh strawberries, 6 tablespoon (75 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- Heat the strawberries over medium heat until the berries break down and thicken, stirring them occasionally. It should take about 15-17 minutes for them to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool.
For the White Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners. Then set aside.
- In a small bowl sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda salt. Then set aside.1 ¼ cup (140 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.5 tablespoon (70 g) unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- Then add in the egg whites and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth and pale in color, 1-2 minutes.2 egg whites, at room temperature, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Alternate adding the buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until everything is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Fill each liner with batter. Each should be about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for ten minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened butter to bowl and mix it on high speed with an electric mixer until it is pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.4 oz. (114 g) cream cheese, cold
- Sift in the powder sugar a little at a time. Mix on low speed until all is combined.2 ½ cups (325 g) powdered sugar
- Add the freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground. (It's important to wait to grind up the strawberries until you're ready to add them to the frosting. If you live in a humid climate like me, they will get really clumpy and difficult to work with!)¾ cup (15 g) freeze dried strawberries
- Add the ground freeze dried strawberries to the frosting and combine on low speed. Then mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled remove a bit of the centers of each. Fill each with the strawberry jam.
- Transfer the strawberry cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. (My favorite to use is always my Wilton 1M tip). Pipe a generous amount of frosting on top of each cupcake and then serve!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. (Let them come to room temperature before eating).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!