Strawberry vanilla cupcakes are perfect for your next party, potluck, or just as a sweet treat during the week. These light and airy vanilla cupcakes are topped with a perfectly sweet and creamy buttercream frosting.
Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe
These sweet strawberry vanilla cupcakes are one of my favorite easy cupcake recipes. You can add a little surprise in the middle of these cupcakes by taking out the center of the cupcake and filling it with a spoonful of strawberry jam.
I first made these cupcakes a few winters ago on a snowy day and they were the perfect sweet treat to brighten the day from the dreary weather. Ever since, they've been my go-to recipe whenever I need a cupcake recipe.
Next time you need a refreshing, light and fluffy treat, you can make these yummy cupcakes. Strawberry lovers will be obsessed with the buttercream frosting!
If strawberries aren't your thing, check out these lemon cupcakes which are fruity, zesty and oh-so-delicate.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe yields bakery-quality cupcakes without you needing to leave the comfort of your own home!
- Everything in these cupcakes is made from scratch, which means you can easily adapt it to fit your personal needs.
- Cupcakes are the perfect shareable treat! Great to make for parties so that you don't have to worry about cutting cake and making sure everyone gets a slice.
Ingredients
These fresh strawberry cupcakes are made entirely from scratch, so be sure you've got all the necessary ingredients before getting started! Here's what you'll need:
Vanilla Cupcakes
The cake part of this recipe calls for some common ingredients you might already have on hand:
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- unsalted butter
- egg
- sour cream
- milk
- vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
This luscious strawberry frosting is all-natural and made with real strawberries. Here's what you'll need:
- large strawberries
- butter
- pure vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
Substitutions and Variations
Plain Greek yogurt is a great 1:1 swap for sour cream. Don't omit this ingredient, it's the secret to super moist cupcakes!
You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, to make this recipe without gluten.
Replace the cane sugar in the cupcakes with coconut sugar to reduce the amount of refined sugar in this recipe. It may change the flavor and color a bit, but it will still be just as delicious!
You can add a little surprise in the middle of these cupcakes by removing the middle and adding a spoonful of strawberry jam or lemon curd to the center.
How to Make Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
Follow these step by step instructions and you'll be make the most perfect and fluffy homemade cupcakes in no time!
Make the Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan by lining it with paper liners. If you don't have cupcake liners, you can learn how to grease a muffin pan here so that those tasty cupcakes don't stick to the pan.
Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer.
Once thoroughly combined, add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until incorporated well.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
Then, alternate between adding dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer, and pouring milk into the batter.
Mix the cupcake batter until it is smooth.
Hot Tip: Don't over-mix your cupcake batter. Over-mixed batter can make your cupcakes turn out really chewy instead of light and fluffy.
Scoop batter into each cupcake liner with a measuring cup or ice cream scoop. You'll want each one to be about halfway full.
Bake the cupcakes for 18-21 minutes until they bounce back to the touch, or a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Make the Strawberry Buttercream
While the cupcakes bake, prepare the strawberry frosting.
In a food processor, puree three large strawberries. Then pour it into a bowl.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, add a stick of butter and splash of vanilla along with the strawberry purée. Blend until mixed thoroughly.
Add in the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time. If your food processor is not big enough to fit all of the powdered sugar, use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
Once the frosting begins to thicken, add in 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. The icing should be smooth, but able to hold its shape.
Decorate the Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are baked, pull them out and place them on a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before icing.
Place the fresh strawberry buttercream into a piping bag or zip-top bag and cut off the corner. I used a star tip.
Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a simple swirl pattern. Add any toppings if you want.
Toppings for Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
You don't have to add any toppings to these, but it can be fun to add a little extra something! Sprinkles are always a fun cupcake topping, but you can also do something different.
Thinly slice some fresh strawberries and place one or a few on each cupcake. You can also add mini chocolate chips or even a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
If you're making these in the summer, top them with some fresh berries or a little slice of lemon for a pretty summertime look!
Here are a few ideas:
- white, pink or red sanding sugar
- red or pink sprinkles
- a strawberry slice
- dehydrated strawberries, crushed into powder
- a mint leaf
- mini chocolate chips
- candied lemon slice
Tips & Tricks
Use room temperature butter when mixing it with other ingredients. It will mix more thoroughly and more easily!
Paper liners or silicone liners will make it easier to pull out your cupcakes. If you don't use liners, be sure to butter or spray your muffin tin generously so the cupcakes don't stick to the pan, which can cause them to break.
How to Store Leftover Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also store them at room temperature, they just won't last as long.
If you want to save some time, you can make the vanilla cupcakes ahead of time and store them, unfrosted, in an airtight container. (You can use my tutorial for storing muffins for some tips on keeping them from getting soggy or dried out.)
Then make the fresh strawberry buttercream the next day and ice them just before serving!
More Cupcake Recipes
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Easy Moscato Cupcakes
- Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting
- Chocolate Cupcakes
Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
These sweet strawberry vanilla cupcakes are a delicious and decadent dessert that is perfect for special occasions or as a sweet treat to enjoy any time. Supple vanilla cupcakes are topped with a fresh strawberry buttercream frosting, and they look oh-so-elegant.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream
- 3 large strawberries, room temp
- 1 stick butter, room temp
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin with liners.
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
- To the wet ingredients, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients.
- Whisk slowly until the batter is smooth — do not over-mix.
- Pour batter into lined muffin tin, filling cupcake liners about halfway full.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes until cupcake centers bounce back to the touch. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a baking rack.
- Meanwhile, make the buttercream frosting.
For the icing
- Using a food processor, puree three large strawberries.
- Add butter and vanilla to food processor. If food processor is big enough, add in powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Use bowl and hand mixer, if not.
- Once frosting is beginning to thicken, add in 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream.
- Icing should be smooth but hold its shape.
- Pipe icing onto room-temperature cupcakes.
Notes
Tips & tricks
Use room temperature butter when mixing it with other ingredients. It will mix more thoroughly and more easily!
Paper liners or silicone liners will make it easier to pull out your cupcakes. If you don't use liners, be sure to butter or spray your muffin tin generously so the cupcakes don't stick to the pan, which can cause them to break.
Substitutions
Plain Greek yogurt is a great 1:1 swap for sour cream. Don't omit this ingredient, it's the secret to super moist cupcakes!
You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute to make this recipe without gluten.
Replace the cane sugar in the cupcakes with coconut sugar to reduce the amount of refined sugar in this recipe. It may change the flavor and color a bit, but it will still be just as delicious!
Variations
You can add a little surprise in the middle of these cupcakes by removing the middle and adding a spoonful of strawberry jam or lemon curd to the center.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 3g
Julie says
You always make these gourmet recipes sound totally doable. And I love the term run-crawling haha!! Hope lil Grey is doing well 🙂