Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream (video)

My Strawberry Cupcake Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube video recipe for all the details and step-by-step instructions for making these delicious strawberry cupcakes! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

These fun and fruity strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream are so delicious and easy to make! Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Strawberries: use fresh or frozen (thawed) berries for making the strawberry cake batter. You’ll need small, fresh strawberries for garnishing the top of each cupcake.
• Strawberry Jam: for making the strawberry buttercream.
• Eggs, Milk, & Vanilla Extract: have the milk and the eggs at room temperature for best results. Buttermilk will also work great for this recipe!
• Cooking Oil: I typically use canola oil for baking since it has a very mild flavor. You can also use melted butter for this recipe.
• Strawberry Extract: this extract is optional but it does add lots of strawberry flavor to the recipe!
• Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder: the dry ingredients for the cake batter. Make sure to sift the flour!
• Unsalted Butter: use only unsalted butter for making the strawberry frosting! Soften the butter at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Confectioner’s Sugar: for making the frosting.
• Red Food Coloring: this is optional, but you can add food coloring to the frosting to give it a nice and pretty pink color.

How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes

These strawberry cupcakes start with an easy and delicious vanilla cake batter dotted with diced berries! The cake is moist and so flavorful!

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Line 18 cupcake tins with paper liners, or spray the insides with a baking spray.
2. Into a large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients plus the sugar: eggs, milk, oil, sugar, vanilla and strawberry extract. I like to add a bit of strawberry extract or emulsion (affiliate link) for more strawberry flavor. Using a mixer or a hand whisk, whisk on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and the eggs are well beaten.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the cake batter. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Watch my video recipe to see how it’s done.
4. Next, gently fold in the diced strawberry. Using a measuring scoop, fill each cupcake tin about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops of the cupcakes are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Make sure to cool the cupcakes completely before frosting with the strawberry buttercream!! If the cupcakes are still warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off!

Making the Strawberry Buttercream

You’ll love the fluffy, creamy and fruity strawberry frosting I use for these cupcakes! This recipe is made with a simple buttercream base, using my standard ‘Vanilla Buttercream’ recipe. The secret to a great buttercream is whisking the butter before adding anything else! Only then add the remaining ingredients!

1. Place the softened butter into a mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 7 to 9 minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl often, until the butter is light, fluffy and pale white in color.
2. Next, add the confectioner’s sugar, strawberry extract and salt. Add more sugar for a thicker frosting. Start mixing the sugar into the butter on a low speed, then turn up to high speed, and continue whisking for another 2 to 3 minutes. The buttercream should be very light and fluffy! Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl often.
3. Next, add in the berry preserves. Mix the preserves into the buttercream on high speed for 15 to 20 seconds, just until they’re incorporated; do not overmix!!

Special note: make sure to add the strawberry preserves LAST! Have the buttercream all done, then add the jam and whisk for 15 to 20 seconds, just until it’s incorporated. Overmixing can cause the buttercream to separate! I used 3 tablespoons of my ‘Strawberry Rhubarb Jam’ for these cupcakes. It’s sweet and tart and so delicious! Store-bought jam will also work well!

Assembling & Storing the Cupcakes

Only add the strawberry buttercream once the cupcakes are completely cooled, otherwise the frosting will melt!! Transfer the prepared buttercream into a pastry bag tipped with star tip; I used Ateco tip #847. Pipe generous dollops of buttercream onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish the top with small strawberries, if desired. Keep the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 12 hours, then place them into the refrigerator.

• You can make these ahead of time, too! Just keep them stored in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 3 to 4 days. Add the strawberry on top when you’re ready to serve them.