Strawberries & Cream Cupcakes Recipe

I’m sharing Strawberry Cupcakes With Filling, a light boxed cake filled with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar to bring a bright note to your summer menu.

I still get a little giddy when I think about these Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes. With a base of white cake mix and bright little bursts of fresh strawberries, every bite surprises you like it hid a secret.

I call them Strawberry Cream Filled Cupcakes cause that hidden strawberry center turns a simple sweet into something that makes people curious, not just full. Folks always ask where I bought them, and I kind of love that, watching guesses fly while I pretend I dont know either, but secretly I know why one bite keeps everyone coming back.

Ingredients

• Pre sweetened flour blend, mostly carbs and sugars, gives structure and soft crumb.
• Fresh berries add bright sweet tart flavor, vitamin C and a bit of fiber.
• Rich, fatty cream adds silky mouthfeel and helps whip fluffy frosting, adds calories.
• Provide protein and stability to batter, help rise, make cupcakes tender and moist.
• Keeps cupcakes moist without strong flavor, mostly unsaturated fats and concentrated calories.
• Super fine sugar for smooth frosting, adds sweetness fast, no texture, mostly carbs.
• Little goes a long way, rounds flavors and makes sweet stuff taste deeper.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 (15.25 oz) white cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 pint fresh strawberries hulled and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Additional powdered sugar for dusting
• Optional extra strawberry halves for garnish

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly, then set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl combine one 1
5.25 ounce white cake mix, 1 cup water, one third cup vegetable oil and 3 large eggs; beat 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and scrape the bowl, dont overmix.

3. Scoop batter into the liners about two thirds full so theres room for a dome, then bake 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Let cupcakes cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.

5. While they cool hull and roughly chop 1 pint fresh strawberries, toss with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and let sit 15 to 20 minutes to macerate; drain off most of the juice and save a tablespoon if you want extra berry flavor.

6. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters if you can, then whip 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until medium peaks form, its ok if you stop before it’s rock stiff.

7. Use a small knife, melon baller or apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake (leave a little base), then fill each hole with about a tablespoon of the chopped macerated strawberries.

8. Top each filled cupcake with a generous spoonful or a piped swirl of the whipped cream. If you like, fold a tablespoon of the chopped berries into some of the whipped cream for a more strawberry forward bite.

9. Dust the tops with additional powdered sugar and garnish with optional strawberry halves for a pretty finish.

10. Serve right away or refrigerate up to 24 hours because whipped cream will soften; leftover unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen, but dont freeze once whipped cream is on top.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (for baking the cupcakes)
2. 12-cup muffin tin (with paper liners or for greasing)
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or a whisk, and chilled beaters if you can
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion batter
8. Small knife, melon baller or apple corer to remove centers
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Medium bowl for macerating strawberries and a strainer or just a spoon to drain juices

FAQ

Strawberries & Cream Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• White cake mix: swap for yellow cake mix or a strawberry cake mix. Use the same box and same wet ingredients, youll get a richer or more pronounced strawberry flavor.
• Vegetable oil: use the same amount of melted unsalted butter for a richer crumb, or use canola oil for a neutral taste.
• Eggs: replace 3 large eggs with 3/4 cup applesauce (1/4 cup per egg) for an egg free option, or use 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons water (let sit 5 minutes) as a vegan binder. Applesauce will make them a bit denser and moister.
• Heavy whipping cream: swap 1 cup cold heavy cream with 1 cup chilled full fat coconut cream from a can (refrigerate overnight and scoop the solid cream), then whip the same way. It gives a slight coconut note but whips up similarly.

Pro Tips

– Bring eggs and any cold ingredients closer to room temp before you mix. Cold eggs make batter firmer and can give uneven rise, warming them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5 minutes works great.

– Dont overmix the cake batter. Stop as soon as it’s smooth, scrape the bowl once, and no more. Overbeating = tougher crumb and flat tops.

– Macerate the strawberries then drain most of the juice, but save a little to fold into the whipped cream or brush into the cupcake centers for extra flavor. If the berries seem extra watery, gently pat them dry so the cupcakes dont get soggy.

– Chill your bowl and beaters, whip the cream to medium peaks and stop. If you overwhip, fold in a tablespoon of cold cream to rescue it. If you need the topping to hold up longer, stir a tablespoon of instant vanilla pudding mix into the cream before whipping for easy stabilization.