Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing and a Fresh Strawberry Core

There is something so charming about a classic strawberry cake. The pink-hued strawberry sponge with bright pink strawberry cream cheese icing creates a combination that is not only delicious but also one of the prettiest cakes. We were inspired by this pink, classic cake when we made these strawberry cupcakes. Our goal was to create something like a classic strawberry cake, but infuse each bite with the fresh strawberries, which led us to create these cupcakes with a surprise—a strawberry core—and top them off with luscious strawberry cream cheese icing. These strawberry cupcakes are pretty much strawberry cake heaven with the essence of the classic strawberry cake while packing fresh strawberries in every bite.

Components of the Strawberry Cupcakes:

• Strawberry Puree: The strawberry puree is made by blending fresh, hulled, and sliced strawberries until smooth and then reducing the mixture to concentrate the strawberry flavor, adding a burst of fruity goodness to the cupcakes.
• Strawberry Cake: The strawberry cake is a delicate and moist sponge cake made with a combination of cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, oil, granulated sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, buttermilk, reduced strawberry puree, and lemon zest, resulting in a soft and flavorful base for the cupcakes.
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing: The strawberry cream cheese icing is a creamy and tangy combination of cream cheese, butter, reduced strawberry puree, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and powdered sugar. It’s the perfect complement to the strawberry cake, but then again what does cream cheese icing not make better…
• Strawberry Core: The strawberry core is a sweet and tangy filling made with a mixture of sugar, reduced strawberry puree, lemon juice, cornstarch, lemon zest, and diced strawberries. It adds a burst of strawberry goodness at the center of each cupcake.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Cupcakes:

• Fresh Strawberry Puree: Incorporating the reduced strawberry puree adds a vibrant strawberry flavor to the cupcakes without the need for artificial color or flavors. For a pinker cake, a little food dye can be added.
• Cream the butter, oil and sugar first: Beating the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy creates a tender and moist cake texture.
• Alternate the wet and dry ingredients: Alternating the addition of buttermilk and dry ingredients helps to ensure even mixing and a uniform texture.
• Cool before assembly: Properly cooling the strawberry puree, cupcakes, and strawberry core filling before assembling will result in better consistency and easier assembly.

Strawberry Cupcakes FAQ:

Strawberry cupcake ingredient notes:

• Cake flour: Using cake flour in the recipe contributes to a lighter and softer texture.
• Reduced strawberry puree: Reducing the strawberry puree intensifies the flavor and helps control the moisture in the cupcakes.
• Lemon zest: Adding lemon zest enhances the overall flavor profile and complements the strawberries.
• Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla bean paste provides a rich vanilla flavor with visible vanilla bean specks in the cream cheese icing. It can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps thicken the strawberry core filling, creating a slightly jam-like consistency.
• Powdered sugar: Adjust the amount of powdered sugar according to your desired sweetness and desired thickness of the cream cheese icing.

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Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing and a Fresh Strawberry Core

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree:

• 1 pound of fresh hulled and sliced strawberries

Strawberry Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon diamond kosher salt ½ if morton
• 1 stick salted butter softened (113 g)
• ½ cup vegetable oil 120 ml
• 2 cups granulated sugar 200 g
• 5 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk 120 ml
• 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree 120 ml
• zest of 1 lemon

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:

• 2 sticks cream cheese 16 oz, room temperature
• 1 stick butter 113 g, room temperature
• ½ cup reduced strawberry puree 120 ml
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 5-6 cups powdered sugar 625 g – 750 g

Strawberry Core:

• 75 g sugar ~⅓ cup
• 2 tablespoons reduced strawberry puree 30 ml
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 30 ml
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 8 g
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup strawberries small dice (~12 medium strawberries)

Instructions

Strawberry puree:

• Add the sliced strawberries into a blender and blend until smooth
• In a medium saucepan, heat the strawberries over medium heat until the mixture is about half the volume. This will take around 20-30 minutes
• Set aside the mixture until it is entirely cooled throughout before using

Strawberry Cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners (this will make about 15 cupcakeS)
• In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients together until incorporated
• In a large bowl or in the base of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, oil and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)
• Add in the egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat for 1-2 more minutes until light and fluffy
• Turn the mixer down to low speed and alternate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture. This process should start and end with the dry (we like to add the flour in 3 parts and buttermilk in 2 parts in between)
  
• After the mixture is just combined add in the strawberry reduction and lemon zest and mix until evenly combined
  
• Scoop the batter into the lined cupcake pan and bake for ~15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean
  
• Set aside to cool
  

Strawberry Core:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and strawberry reduction. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is just melted
• In a separate small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch so no clumps remain
• After the sugar is dissolved, whisk in the lemon juice cornstarch mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes
• Add in the lemon zest and strawberries and cook 2 more minutes (the strawberries should be just warmed not mushy or fully cooked)
• Set aside the mixture to cool

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:

• In a large bowl or in the base of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter and room temperature cream cheese on medium high speed for 1-2 minutes until combine and fluffy
• Add in the strawberry puree and extracts and mix until combined
• Add in the powdered sugar (starting with the smaller amount) and whip for 3-4 minutes
• Add more powdered sugar if needed to stiffen (this will vary slightly based on the thickness of the puree and temperature of ingredients)
  

Assembly:

• Cut a ½ inch circle core in the center of each cupcake. Add ~1 tablespoon of filling so the core is filled to the top
  
• Top with strawberry cream cheese icing