Strawberry Cupcakes

These pretty pink strawberry cupcakes are studded with fresh berries and topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting that's good enough to eat by the spoonful. Strawberry flavor is always a favorite among boxed birthday cake mixes, but there usually isn't a berry in sight. These cupcakes improve on the childhood delight with real, ripe berries mixed right into the batter. A few drops of food coloring help achieve that pink color, making it a perfect fruit dessert for Mother's Day or even a fun birthday.

Is it better to make cupcakes with flour or milk?

Milk is most often the better choice for added moisture, but this recipe takes things step further by calling for buttermilk! Buttermilk is a secret weapon in baking and helps homemade cakes rise. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking powder and soda to make these cupcakes puff up to become fluffy and tender.

What is the best way to cut strawberries for cupcakes?

The strawberries are so easy to prepare for this recipe! No need to lug out a food processor for a perfect puree; these cupcakes look beautiful studded with little chunks of fruit. First, clean the strawberries. Then, cut off the green stems and slice the berries into ¼-inch chunks. Take ¾ cup of the berries and mash them with sugar and lemon juice with a fork or a potato masher. Then, fold in the remaining cut up fruit. This creates a vibrant and delicious juice that will make up part of the liquid in the cake. The garnish is a vibrant, fresh strawberry half. Sometimes, nature is the prettiest decoration!

How do you make strawberry cupcakes from scratch?

The base of these cupcakes is an easy buttermilk cake. Make sure all dairy and eggs are at room temperature to ensure light and fluffy cakes! To make these, start by creaming the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy. Then, beat in the eggs, vanilla, and macerated strawberries. While the strawberries give the cake a gentle pink hue, you can add food coloring to pump up the color. The mixture may look broken, but itwill come together in the end. After you've mixed in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, you can scoop and bake the cupcakes. The frosting is a simple cream cheese frosting with sweet strawberry preserves beaten right in. Use strawberry preserves or jam here; fresh strawberries have too much liquid for a stable frosting.

Can you use frozen strawberries for strawberry cupcakes?

Frozen strawberries tend to hold more liquid than fresh ones do, making them a little unpredictable for a tender cake. Stick to fresh here; they’re so worth it!

What's the best way to store strawberry cupcakes?

Because these cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting, the frosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. However, for the best results, store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature, store the frosting separately in the fridge, and frost the cupcakes just before serving. Cake tends to dry out when refrigerated, so this option keeps both parts fresher.