Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
User Reviews
4.8
Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Description
Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting use cake flour and baking powder for a light texture, with fresh strawberry puree and diced strawberries mixed into the batter for brightness and moisture. The recipe incorporates egg whites separately for lift and uses buttermilk combined with the strawberry puree for acidity that balances sweetness. Optional red food coloring deepens the pink hue to enhance visual appeal.
The frosting blends nearly room-temperature salted and unsalted butter with powdered sugar and strawberry puree, producing a subtly sweet and creamy pink topping. Vanilla extract adds gentle warmth, while optional food coloring gives the frosting a consistent color. Diced strawberries atop the frosted cupcakes provide fresh fruit texture and enhance the strawberry presentation.
These cupcakes are suitable for individual portion desserts, birthday parties, or gatherings. The recipe suggests cooling cupcakes completely before frosting and notes that the unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for extended storage and thawing. The presence of fresh fruit both inside and on top adds a seasonal freshness and pleasant texture contrast.
Puree fresh strawberries to prepare the fruit components, and consider adding lemon juice to homemade buttermilk substitutes if necessary. Store cupcakes in sealed containers at room temperature or freeze unfrosted cupcakes for months. Using food coloring is optional, allowing a natural or intensified color.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup cake flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 Tbsp
- 1 egg large
- 2 egg large, whites
- 1/3 cup Strawberry Puree fresh
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 red food coloring optional, drops
- 3/4 cup strawberry dice into about 1/4-inch pieces, diced
- strawberries about 1 lb small strawberries, diced and whole, for topping
Frosting (double recipe if making for a double layer cake)
- 1/2 cup Strawberry Puree 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup butter nearly at room temperature, unsalted
- 1/4 cup butter nearly at room temperature, salted
- 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 red food coloring optional, drops
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift cake flour into a mixing bowl then add baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and granluated sugar until pale and fluffy (occasionally stop and scrape down bowl throughout entire mixing process if not using a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl).
- Mix in egg then mix in egg whites one at a time. In liquid measuring cup used to measure buttermilk, whisk together the buttermilk, 1/3 cup strawberry puree and the vanilla extract.
- Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture (to the butter mixture) alternating with half of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition.
- Fold in the 3/4 cup diced strawberries. Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full (nearly 1/3 cup in each). Bake in preheated oven 20 - 23 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Add 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strawberry puree to a small saucepan. Heat mixture over medium-low heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by about 2/3 to 3 Tbsp, about 10 - 14 minutes (measure and if it isn't quite 3 Tbsp then return and continue to simmer, if it's not reduced to correct amount it will make frosting runny).
- Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then freeze until cool (stir occasionally for even chilling, it will chill quickly in the freezer since it's such a small amount).
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip unsalted and salted butter until very pale and fluffy (nearly white. Stop and scrape down bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process if not using the paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl).
- Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar, then blend in 3 Tbsp reduced strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional red food coloring. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and continue to mix until frosting is pale and fluffy, adding in an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.
- To assemble cupcakes: Place a small mound of small diced strawberries on top center of cupcakes. Pipe frosting around and over berries then decorate with a whole small strawberry. Store cupcakes in an airtight container.
Notes
- Chill the cupcakes fully before applying frosting to prevent melting and ensure clean decoration.
- Make fresh strawberry puree by processing berries in a blender, adjusting amounts based on berry size.
- Use a buttermilk substitute by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to milk and letting it rest for 3 minutes.
- Store frosted cupcakes at room temperature for short periods; freeze unfrosted cupcakes for extended storage.
- Adding pink or red food coloring intensifies the cupcake and frosting color but is optional.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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