Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful homemade Strawberry Cupcakes, featuring a tender vanilla and strawberry infused cake base topped with a creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a sweet treat, these cupcakes combine fresh strawberries with subtle extracts for a refreshing berry twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with 18 paper liners.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the 1/4 cup softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time followed by vanilla and strawberry extracts.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt to ensure even distribution.
- Add Milk and Oil: Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture with the milk and vegetable oil to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold the finely chopped fresh strawberries into the batter to distribute evenly.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove cupcakes from oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter together until smooth and creamy. Add strawberry and vanilla extracts.
- Add Sugar and Color: Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well after each addition until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Optionally, add pink food coloring to achieve desired shade.
- Frost Cupcakes: Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them generously using a spatula or piping bag with the strawberry cream cheese frosting.
- Serve and Enjoy: Arrange cupcakes on a serving platter and enjoy your delightful strawberry treat with friends and family!
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Use fresh strawberries for best flavor; if unavailable, frozen can be used but thaw and drain excess liquid first.
- Pink food coloring is optional and purely for aesthetic purposes.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator due to cream cheese frosting, best consumed within 3 days.
- For dairy-free variation, substitute butter and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives.
