Strawberry shortcake cupcakes are basically strawberry shortcakes turned into cupcakes! Instead of using biscuits, you’ll scoop a jammy strawberry mixture into moist, fluffy vanilla cupcakes. Topped with a generous amount of piped whipped cream frosting, these cupcakes are a sweet, tasty summer treat.
Strawberry shortcake cupcakes are always a hit on a special occasion and at family get-togethers! My favorite time of year to serve them is during spring and early summer when it’s a little warmer, and juicy, sweet strawberries are in season. For more strawberry desserts, try my strawberry cake, strawberry cobbler, and strawberry cupcakes.
Ingredients
You’ll need your standard baking essentials and some fresh strawberries! You can find the full ingredient list in the strawberry shortcake cupcake recipe.
Butter — use unsalted butter and add salt separately. Brands of salted butter vary in how salty they are, so this trick allows you to have precise control over the flavor of the cupcake batter!
Eggs — large eggs give the cupcake batter structure. Bring them to room temperature first.
Vanilla — since vanilla is a key flavor component of the cupcakes, use good vanilla extract.
Sour cream and whole milk — sour cream and whole milk add flavor and moisture to these cupcakes, as well as helping to tenderize the cupcake crumb (just like in my moist vanilla cupcake recipe!). The acid in the sour cream will also react with the baking soda and baking powder, helping the cupcakes rise properly in the oven.
Strawberry filling — you need finely chopped fresh strawberries and strawberry jam for this variation of a classic strawberry shortcake filling.
Whipped topping — for the homemade whipped topping, you need cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners
- Paring knife
- Large open star piping tip
- Piping bag
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour (200g)
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature (120g)
- ⅓ cup whole milk room temperature (80mL)
For the Strawberry Filling:
- 1½ cups finely chopped strawberries (225g)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
For the Whipped Topping:
- 2 cups heavy cream (480mL)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (40g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and the butter. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low until the eggs are combined. Add the sour cream and milk and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Using a ¼-cup dry measuring cup, scoop the batter and level the top. Add this amount to one of the muffin cups. Repeat to fill the remaining liners. (Each liner should be about two-thirds full. You may have a small amount of batter left in the bowl, but it’s important not to overfill or the batter could spill over the edges when baking.)
- Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are dry and the centers are springy to the touch. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.
For the Strawberry Filling:
- In a small bowl, stir to combine the strawberries and jam. Set aside at room temperature while you make the whipped cream.
For the Whipped Topping:
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and pinch of salt.
- Beat on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large, closed star tip. Refrigerate until ready to use (up to 30 minutes).
To Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Use a paring knife to cut a cone-shape from the center of each cupcake, about 1½ inches wide and 1 inch deep, angling downward to form a cone-shaped opening.
- Fill each cone-shaped opening with about 2 teaspoons of the strawberry mixture.
- Pipe a generous amount of whipped cream on top of each cupcake, leaving a slightly flat surface at the top. Cupcakes can be held in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before serving.
- Just before serving, top with another teaspoon of the remaining chopped strawberries, leaving the syrupy mixture in the bowl. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter or the cupcakes will turn out tough because the gluten in the flour will over-develop.
- Use cold heavy cream for the frosting. Cold cream, straight out of the fridge, whips up quicker and easier into stiff peaks. If it’s particularly warm in your kitchen, chill the mixing bowl and beaters for 30 minutes before whipping up the frosting to help.
Nutrition
How To Make Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
1. To make the cupcakes, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and set the flour mixture aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on medium-low until incorporated.
2. Beat in the sour cream and milk. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.
3. Use a ¼-cup dry measuring cup to scoop the batter and fill the paper liners in a muffin pan.
4. Bake the cupcakes at 350°F for 18 to 23 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. Make the easy strawberry filling by stirring together the diced strawberries and strawberry jam. Set aside at room temperature. Make the whipped topping by beating cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the topping mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large, closed star tip.
6. After the cupcakes cool on the cooling rack, use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped section from the center of each cupcake.
7. Fill each opening with some of the strawberry mixture.
8. Pipe a whipped cream swirl on top of each cupcake. Just before serving, top with more of the strawberry mixture.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
I highly recommend using fresh strawberries for this strawberry shortcake cupcake recipe. Since this filling is very simple, made with fresh strawberries and strawberry jam, you really want the firm texture of a fresh strawberry to shine through. Frozen strawberries turn too mushy when defrosted.
Don’t Over Fill The Cupcake Liners
Measure ¼ cup of batter per liner. Each liner should be about two-thirds full. You may have a touch of batter left over, but don’t be tempted to use it to fill up the liners. If you overfill the liners, the tops can spread, stick to the pan, or brown too much around the edges.
Beat The Whipped Cream Frosting To Stiff Peaks
Since the whipped cream topping is being piped onto the cupcakes, it needs to be stiff and sturdy enough to hold its shape. So be sure to whip it to stiff peaks, not soft peaks. You’ll notice that the whipped topping in this recipe contains more sugar than my whipped cream recipe. That’s because powdered sugar acts as a stabilizer to keep the topping stiff. So don’t leave it out!
Switch Up The Topping
- You can top each of the strawberry shortcake cupcakes with a petite whole or halved strawberry instead of the chopped strawberry filling mixture. If you decide to do so, cut the strawberry filling recipe in half and use the extra strawberries for the decoration.
- Instead of the whipped cream topping, use cream cheese frosting or strawberry buttercream frosting.
- Add sprinkles or chocolate shavings on top for an additional garnish.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. Using too much flour is a common cupcake mistake that will cause them to turn out dry. To avoid that, weigh the flour with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour to aerate it, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the cupcakes. Set the cold ingredients out about an hour or so in advance. Ingredients that aren’t completely cold are easier to blend into a batter.
- For a twist, try this with chocolate cupcakes! You can make my easy chocolate cupcake recipe (skip the frosting) and fill them with the strawberry topping and whipped cream frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Double the cake batter portion and bake it in a greased 9×13-inch cake pan for 35 minutes or until the center feels springy when gently pressed with your finger. Cool the cake completely and spread the whipped cream frosting on top. Serve with a spoonful of the strawberry filling on top of each slice. You can double the topping and filling if desired.
Strawberry shortcake cupcakes will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also freeze unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them completely before assembling them.
While the strawberry filling will have the best texture when freshly made, you can make it and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. It will likely create a lot of syrupy liquid as it sits. Be sure to drain off the liquid and stir in more jam to thicken the filling again, then fill the cupcakes.
If you’ve tried this strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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