These strawberry crunch cupcakes will take you back to your childhood. Moist vanilla cupcakes are frosted with a luscious cream cheese frosting and rolled in a strawberry crunch cookie topping.
The strawberry crunch is made with shortbread cookies, freeze dried strawberries, and strawberry Jell-O. These cupcakes are packed with strawberry flavor!
These strawberry crunch cupcakes are not only easy to make but taste amazing!
The wonderful crumb topping will make you feel like you're in strawberry heaven. They are the perfect cupcakes to serve for any occasion.
I decorated each cupcake with it's very own "enchanted rose" strawberry, inspired by Disney's Beauty and The Beast.
If you are looking for more Beauty and The Beast recipes, make sure to check out my Apple Rose Tarts.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS
- Moist vanilla cupcakes- These cupcakes are so tender and have a wonderful vanilla flavor. I use both buttermilk and heavy cream, which gives it a soft crumb.
- Cream cheese frosting- This frosting is not overly sweet and pairs nicely with the strawberry flavor.
- Strawberry crunch topping- This stuff is the real deal! It has a intense strawberry flavor and buttery texture from the shortbread cookies.
- Easy to make- All the elements in this recipe are so easy to make and not overly complicated. Anyone can make these cupcakes!
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Buttermilk- If you don't have buttermilk on hand you can substitute 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Heavy Cream- Make sure you pull out 1-2 hours before baking. This allows enough time for it to come to room temperature.
- Oil- You can use canola or vegetable.
- Eggs- Always have at room temperature when baking.
- Cream cheese- Use full fat original cream cheese and do not substitute with whipped cream cheese.
- Freeze dried strawberries- I used Trader Joe's Freeze Dried Strawberries. They have a wonderful, natural strawberry flavor.
- Strawberry Jell-O- Although I only use 2 teaspoon in this recipe, it helps give it that nostalgic strawberry flavor that the strawberry shortcake ice cream bars have.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these cupcakes.
STEP 1: Combine dry ingredients together in medium size bowl. First, sift the flours, baking soda and salt to prevent lumps from forming inside batter.
STEP 2: Mix oil, egg, vanilla and sugar together. Whisk until mixture is combined.
STEP 3: Add heavy cream. Mix until streak free and smooth.
STEP 4: Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Add ½ of the dry ingredients, followed by buttermilk. Last, add remaining dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.
STEP 5: Scoop the batter. Fill each each cupcake liner ⅔ full with batter. Then, bake for 13-15 minutes.
STEP 6: Strawberry crunch topping. Combine shortbread cookies, freeze dried strawberries and strawberry Jell-O in food processor. Pulse until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Mix in melted butter.
STEP 7: Beat cream cheese frosting. Combine ingredients and whip until smooth and fluffy.
STEP 8: Decorate the cupcakes. Pipe each cupcake with frosting. Sprinkle with strawberry crunch topping and place strawberry rose on top.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
When making strawberry crunch topping, pulse 2-3 times and check before proceeding to make sure mixture does not become too ground. You want the mixture to still have small lumps of cookies throughout.
Use room temperature cream cheese and butter when mixing cream cheese frosting. This will help prevent lumps and you will have a smooth frosting.
When pouring batter into cupcake liners, use an ice cream scoop. This will ensure uniformity and even baking.
FAQ
It consists of coarsely ground shortbread cookies, freeze dried strawberries, strawberry Jell-O and melted butter.
Yes, these cupcakes can be kept inside the refrigerator for 2-3 days before serving. Make sure to store them in an airtight container so that they stay fresh and do not dry out.
No, this will change the texture of the cupcake due to the acid in the buttermilk that reacts with the baking soda which gives these cupcakes it's tender and soft crumb.
STORING AND FREEZING
Store these cupcakes inside an airtight container for 2-3 days.
FREEZING
These strawberry crunch cupcakes can be frozen before they are frosted and coated with crunch topping. Wrap them in cling wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour before decorating.
OTHER RECIPES TO TRY
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- ¾ cup All purpose flour
- ½ cup Cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Canola oil
- 1 each Large egg room temperature
- ½ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup Low-fat buttermilk room temperature
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 5.3 oz Shortbread cookies Walker's Pure Butter Shortbread Cookies
- ½ cup Freeze dried strawberries
- 2 teaspoon Strawberry Jell-O
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 1.5 oz Unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 oz Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350° and line 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift flour, cake flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk sugar and oil together in medium size bowl. Add egg and mix until evenly incorporated. Next add heavy cream and vanilla. Whisk for 1 minute until ingredients are all mixed together.
- Add ½ of the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in buttermilk and mix until smooth. Last, add remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Scoop batter into the muffin tin. Use an ice cream scoop and fill ⅔ full.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick is inserted and the tip comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack.
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- Combine shortbread cookies, freeze dried strawberries and strawberry Jell-O inside food processor. Pulse 2-3 times until mixture is coarse but still has small lump size cookie crumbles. Pour into clean bowl.
- Place butter in microwave for 20 seconds until melted. Pour over strawberry cookie mixture. Mix until evenly coated. Set aside
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer. Whip on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix until smooth and combined. Refrigerator for 30 minutes before frosting cupcakes. To decorate, place frosting inside piping bag fitted with star tip. I used Wilton 1M tip. Roll or spoon strawberry crunch topping onto frosting. Decorate with fresh strawberry rose.
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