Get ready for strawberry season with these super delicious strawberry filled cupcakes. These tender cupcakes are flavored with lemon zest and blended strawberries. They are filled with juicy diced strawberries and topped with a luscious strawberry cream cheese frosting.
These strawberry filled cupcakes are exploding with strawberry flavor and are perfect for any occasion. They are fluffy, moist, light and remind me of a strawberry shortcake, but in cupcake form. The best part is there are no artificial strawberry flavoring in these cupcakes.
For more delicious strawberry treats, try my Strawberry and Banana Milkshake and Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Tender strawberry cupcakes- These cupcakes are soft and fluffy and have fresh strawberries folded inside the batter.
- Strawberry filled- Each cupcake is filled with fresh, ripe strawberries.
- Strawberry cream cheese frosting- This frosting is not overly sweet and uses freeze dried strawberries.
- Perfect for spring and summer- These cupcakes are perfect to make during strawberry season. If you have fresh strawberries to use up, then you need to give this recipe a try.
- Fresh strawberry flavor- Each bite is full of real, fresh strawberry flavor. No strawberry imitation flavoring in these cupcakes.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter- Use unsalted butter in this recipe. Make sure to leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours to soften.
- Sugar- I use white granulated sugar.
- Oil- I use canola oil. It makes these cupcakes extra moist.
- Flour- Cake flour gives these cupcakes a soft and fluffy texture.
- Buttermilk- Adding this to the cupcakes gives it a slight tang. It also adds moisture.
- Vanilla- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Lemon zest- I add just a small amount to the cupcake batter. Make sure to use the yellow portion and not the white (which has a bitter flavor).
- Cream cheese- Use full fat cream cheese for the frosting.
- Powdered sugar- Make sure to sift the powdered sugar to remove any clumps.
- Strawberries- You will need some for the cupcake batter, filling and the frosting. Try to use strawberries that are ripe and have a deep, red color.
- Freeze dried strawberries- You can find these at Target or Trader Joe's. I pulse mine inside a food processor until they turn to dust.
Step By Step Ingredients
STEP 1: Prepare the cupcake pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
STEP 2: Blend the strawberries. Place washed and hulled strawberries inside food processor. Pulse a couple of times. Do not puree them. The mixture should be chunky, not liquid.
STEP 3: Sift the dry ingredients. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Then, add to bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer.
STEP 4. Add the butter. Place softened butter into flour mixer. Blend together on low speed for about 2 minutes. The mixture will have a "sandy" texture, with small pieces of butter throughout.
STEP 5: Mix in the buttermilk. Pour buttermilk and vanilla into flour mixture. Then, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. The mixture will be like "wet sand."
STEP 6: Combine the eggs and oil. Place eggs and oil inside a separate bowl. Whisk until combined. Then, slowly pour into butter mixture. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. The batter will be thick and fluffy.
Lastly, use a rubber spatular to fold in strawberries.
STEP 7: Scoop the batter. Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use an ice cream scoop to ensure they bake evenly.
STEP 8. Bake cupcakes. Place the cupcakes inside the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes.
Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Filling and Frosting
STEP 1: Fill the cupcakes. Wash and hull strawberries. Cut them into small dice pieces. Sprinkle with sugar and mix until combined. Use a sharp edged knife or small cookie cutter to cut a small hole inside the center of each cupcake, about ⅔ of the way down.
Then, spoon 1 tablespoon of the strawberry mixture into the cupcakes.
STEP 2: Make the frosting. Beat cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then, add in vanilla and ground freeze dried strawberries. Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
STEP 3: Decorate the cupcakes. Place strawberry cream cheese frosting inside a piping bag with tip attached. I use Ateco tip 844. Pipe a swirl on top of strawberry filled cupcakes and garnish with additional fresh strawberries.
Expert Baking Tips
Make sure to measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour to this recipe can make them dry and dense. When measuring, fluff flour with a spoon, and spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Then, take the back of a butterknife and level the flour.
Use room temperature ingredients. Allow your cold ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk, and cream cheese) to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Room temperature ingredients are easier to incorporate and mix up more smoothly.
When blending the strawberries for the cupcakes, pulse just 3-4 times. The strawberries should be thick and chunky. You do not want to make a puree.
Use ripe strawberries that have a vibrant red color for the best strawberry flavor.
When whipping the cream cheese frosting, make sure to beat for at least 5 minutes. This will incorporate more air and make the cream cheese light and fluffy.
FAQ
No, I do not recommend using frozen strawberries. Frozen strawberries will add extra moisture to these cupcakes. This recipe is best made with fresh strawberries for both flavor and texture.
You can use a small cookie cutter or a sharp edged knife to cut out a hole in the center of each cupcake. Just make sure to go down only ⅔ of the way. Then, add strawberries and swirl with frosting!
Yes, you absolutely can. Spoon a small amount of strawberry preserves into each cupcake or even mix some into the fresh strawberries.
Storing and Freezing
Keep these strawberry filled cupcakes inside an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring the cupcakes to room temperature and garnish them with fresh strawberries before serving.
Freezing
Unfrosted cupcakes freeze perfectly. Once they are completely cool, place them inside an airtight container or sheet pan. Flash freeze them for 1 hour. Then, place them inside a Ziplock freezer bag for easy storage.
Store for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw inside the refrigerator overnight and frost and garnish before serving.
Other Dessert Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Cupcakes
- 2 ½ cups Cake flour sifted
- 1 ½ cups White granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- ¼ cup Canola oil
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Finely diced strawberries pulse a few times in the food processor. Mixture will be thick and chunky.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup Freeze dried strawberries finely ground
- ¾ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 8 oz Cream cheese full fat, softened
- 3 cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
- 1 ½ cups Fresh strawberries small dice
- 1 tablespoon White granulated sugar
Instructions
Strawberry Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Place washed and hulled strawberries inside food processor. Pulse a couple of times. Do not puree them. The mixture should be chunky, not liquid.
- Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Then, add to bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer.
- Place softened butter into flour mixer. Blend together on low speed for about 2 minutes. The mixture will have a "sandy" texture, with small clumps of butter throughout.
- Pour buttermilk and vanilla into flour and butter mixture. Then, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. The batter will be fluffy and white.
- Place eggs and oil inside a separate bowl. Whisk until combined. Then, slowly pour into butter mixture. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. The batter will be thick and fluffy. Lastly, using a rubber spatula, fold strawberries into the cupcake batter.
- Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use an ice cream scoop to ensure they bake evenly.
- Place the cupcakes inside the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven. Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then, add in vanilla and ground freeze dried strawberries. Mix until smooth and combined.
Filling and Decorating
- Wash and hull strawberries. Cut them into small dice pieces. Sprinkle with sugar and mix until combined. Use a sharp edged knife to cut a small hole inside the center of each cupcake, about ⅔ of the way down. Add 1 tablespoon of diced strawberries inside each hole.
- Place strawberry cream cheese frosting inside a piping bag with tip attached. I used Ateco tip 844. Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake and garnish with fresh strawberries.
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