Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes topped with homemade Strawberry Buttercream! These fluffy vanilla cupcakes are bursting with juicy pockets of strawberry and the hot pink frosting is so pretty and delicious. These are the perfect Summer cupcakes!
Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
There’s something magical about Summer. The endless hours of sunlight, the fresh flowers… and berries… and stone fruit, the outdoor markets, creamy iced coffee, spontaneous road trips and afternoon swims.
With all those perks, it’s no surprise this magical season inspires me to bake more than any other. Yes… even more than Christmas. There’s just so much freshness and beauty to draw inspiration from! In fact, Sunday we walked through the Farmers market and found so many treasures we had to make TWO trips to get everything home. Our bounty included two pounds of salmon (I made the most wonderful lemon, garlic, and thyme salmon for dinner last night), sea scallops (recipe coming soon!), apple cider donuts that didn’t make it out of the parking lot, a log of locally made goat cheese, and two pints of freshly picked strawberries. If only every shopping trip could be that dreamy!
I knew immediately that the strawberries would be used for fresh strawberry cupcakes. A recipe I’ve been dreaming about for over a year! If you’ve been following my blog for awhile now, you know I love using fresh fruit in cupcakes. In the archives you’ll find blackberry cupcakes, raspberry cupcakes, and blueberry cupcakes… so it’s only fitting we round things out and add a fresh strawberry version. The best part? These cupcakes have fresh strawberries in the cupcakes and in the frosting!
You can even top each cupcake with a tiny strawberry and to make them a triple threat 😉
Strawberry Cupcakes from Scratch
There are two parts to this recipe: the fresh strawberry cupcake and the homemade strawberry buttercream. To make perfecting this recipe easier for you, I’ve broken down our tips and tricks section into two parts. I highly recommend reading through each, as well as fully reading the ingredient lists and instructions in the recipe box below. If you follow everything to a T, baking these beautiful cupcakes is fun and easy!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success (for the cupcakes):
- For this recipe I use full-fat sour cream and whole milk and strongly suggest you do the same. The cupcakes get a lot of their moisture from the fat in these ingredients. Using fat-free or reduced fat replacements will result in denser, less fluffy cupcakes.
- Be sure your butter is at the right temperature before you begin beating it. It needs to be at room temperature, meaning it should be soft enough that, when lightly pressed with your finger, it leaves an indentation in the stick of butter. I typically leave my butter on the counter for an hour or so, but if you’re really short on time, you can cut the cold stick of butter into into small pieces, which will help speed along the thawing process. Just leave them out at room temperature until they’re soft to the touch.
- Your eggs, egg yolk, milk, and sour cream should also be at room temperature. Cold ingredients will not bond evenly, resulting dense cupcakes.
- Here’s a trick for the eggs: to bring cold eggs to room temperature, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes. Just be sure you don’t use hot water!
- Speaking of hot water, this recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of boiling water! You’ll mix it in at the very end, and it’s essential to the batter. The water should be freshly boiled to ensure it’s warm enough.
- When combining the fresh chopped strawberries with flour, be sure to completely coat the berries. Also, be sure not to use more strawberries than called for. Using a larger quantity will weigh the batter down and cause the cupcakes to sink in the center.
Homemade Strawberry Icing
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success (for the fresh strawberry buttercream):
- To make the the vibrantly colored fresh strawberry frosting you’ll need to first make a strawberry puree. You’ll begin with one cup of strawberries and cook them down until the mixture has reduced to 1/4 cup. Removing the puree from heat too soon will leave you with too much liquid, which will result in grainy frosting, so this is very important to keep in mind.
- Please make sure you allow your strawberry puree to cool completely before adding it to the buttercream. If the mixture is even a little warm when you add it to the butter it will throw off the consistency of the frosting, leaving you with a gloppy, grainy mess. The puree typically takes 30 minutes to cool (in the fridge), and can be made ahead of time – and stored, covered, in the fridge – if needed.
- To ensure you reach the proper buttercream consistency you’ll want to make sure your butter is very soft before beginning. I suggest setting your two sticks of butter out on the counter for at least an hour before unwrapping them and getting busy; your butter may soften faster or slower depending on the temperature of your house. You’ll know your butter is soft enough when you can press your finger into the top and an indentation is effortlessly made. Cold butter as well as melted butter should never be used when making this buttercream; it will not work.
- Once all of the confectioners’ sugar has been added to the frosting, be sure to beat it on medium-high for the FULL 2 minutes. Beating the frosting on high makes it SUPER luscious and fluffy. You will need to use a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer for this step.
- If your frosting appears too thin, simply add a little more confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached; if your frosting appears too thick, add a touch of cream.
- Don’t skip the salt! Many readers have (and even some of my close friends) have informed me they don’t add in the salt called for in dessert recipes because “they don’t like salty sweets”. I feel you! But salt is called for to help balance out the sweetness, and in this case, is quite important for achieving a balanced taste.
When it came time to decorate, I chose to generously pipe the frosting on (using this closed star tip) then topped each frosted cupcake with a small fresh strawberry. Simple and sweet!
If you’re going to decorate your cupcakes with fresh strawberries, I suggest using the tiniest ones you can find. Farmers markets typically have better options for this than grocery stores. Just resist using large strawberries, as they’ll weigh down the frosting and may even cause it to collapse. If you can’t find tiny strawberries, don’t fret! You can always use sliced strawberries instead 😉
Sweet, fruity, and absolutely adorable… these homemade strawberry cupcakes are the total package!
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥
More Strawberry Recipes:
- Greek Yogurt Strawberry Banana Bread
- Strawberry Crisp
- Fresh Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
- Strawberry Crumb Muffins
- Strawberry Rolls with Vanilla Glaze

Summer Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Cupcakes:
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (be sure NOT to pack your flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs plus one large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup boiling hot water (should be very hot, and poured into measuring cup right after boiled)
- 3/4 cup fresh strawberries, diced into 1/4" pieces
For the Fresh Strawberry Frosting:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (frozen will also work; do not thaw first), roughly chopped
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (more if needed)
- 12 small fresh strawberries, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
For the Strawberry Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12-mold cupcake tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with non-stick spray, set aside. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small bowl combine the milk and sour cream, mix well to combine and set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes (don't skimp on time here!). Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with sour cream/milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in the hot water, beating just until combined; set aside.
- Place diced strawberries and remaining flour in a small bowl; toss well to coat, being sure each piece is completely covered in flour. Fold strawberries and any remaining flour into batter, stirring just until combined.
- Fill the prepared cupcake tins 3/4 of the way full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. In the meantime, make your frosting.
For the Fresh Strawberry Frosting:
- Combine the strawberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, stir the mixture occasionally, breaking up the berries with a wooden spoon, until the strawberries have become soft enough to mash effortlessly. It will look like thick strawberry jam. Once the mixture can coat a spoon (you should have about 1/4 cup of strawberry puree) remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool completely before using. <<< That part is SUPER important!
When ready to make buttercream:
- Place the softened butter in a large bowl or in the body of a stand mixer. With a handheld mixer, or with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat butter on medium-speed (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth; about 2 minutes. Add in 3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree and beat until completely combined; about 1 minute (don't worry if the mixture looks weird at this point). Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the cream and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes - this thickens up the frosting and makes it nice and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired and top with a fresh strawberry, if using.
This is a must bake for my boys. The strawberries right now in Nairobi are very sweet.
Hi Angie! I can’t wait to hear how your boys enjoy these cupcakes 🙂
my daughter walked by as i was reading this post, and said mommy can we make strawberry cupcakes tomorrow??? those cupcakes look so yummy. and they do~ boookmarking this recipe xo
xO!
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So sweet!!! I hope you girls have a blast making them – can’t wait to hear how they turn out 🙂
These look amazing! Beautiful AND they sound delicious!
Thank you so much, Lane & Holly! They’re definitely a new Summer fave 🙂
I love strawberries they give deliciously vibrant colors on any dessert!
Thank you, Megan! Can’t beat a bright pink swirl of frosting 🙂
I love a cupcake with ALL THE FROSTING….and these Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes look so perfect!!!
Thank you, Cathy! Giant swirls of frosting for life 😉
Strawberries are everywhere and this recipe is perfect for this time! Thank you for sharing the recipe, can’t wait to give it a try!
You’re very welcome, Wanda! I can’t wait to hear how they turn out 🙂
These are so beautiful! I am in the full swing of strawberry season so will definitely be making these!
Thanks, Jessica! Strawberry season is the best, isn’t it? Can’t wait to hear how the cupcakes turn out 🙂
These were super fun to make and ABSOLUTELY delicious!! Your directions were very well written. I am looking forward to trying different fruits with the base recipe <3 Thank you! I posted on my IG and #'d you 🙂
Yay!!! So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Tamara 🙂 They looked fabulous on IG!!!
I was nervous to make these as I had never used sour cream before when making a cupcake….but the batter was DELICIOUS! Currently waiting for them to come out of the oven, definitely bookmarking this recipe. 🙂
Awesome!!! So happy these are a keeper for you, Ellie!
It looks really tasty, I like it
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it, hopefully this weekend if I find good, fresh berries. Thanks for all the useful tips and tricks
Hi there! Found this recipe on Pinterest and was really excited about making (and devouring) these cupcakes. I love that you are so detailed in your instruction and tips; that was really helpful. So, I did my best to follow the recipe and directions exactly as you explained… When they finished baking, they tasted too much like muffins. 🙁 really dense and heavy.
Do you know why this would happen or what I did wrong?
Hi Diana. I’m sorry to hear your recipe didn’t turn out as you hoped. These cupcakes are sturdy but definitely not dense or heavy. Typically cupcakes come out this way if too much flour was added, the batter was over mixed, or if the cupcakes were over baked. I hope this helps!
I’m simply impressed that no vanilla flavoring was used in this recipe at all. 😀 I’m making these for the second time (with lemon buttercream!), and they really are amazing.
These look amazing. My daughters boyfriend turns 17 tomorrow and he loves strawberry flavored anything, so she is making them tonight for him. She just finished the puree and it is in the fridge. Thanks for all the details, these should be great.
Delicious! I followed the tips you have and they taste amazing!
Any tips for making this as a cake rather than cupcakes? Pan size?
These are wonderful directions are alittle long. Definitely time consuming but worth it
Hi
This recipe refers to 1 stick of butter how much is stick to measurement in grams or cups please?
1 stick is 4 ounces or a half cup.
hello,
I made these cupcakes but when i was making them, the batter was light when i put the hot water and i mixed all the ingredients together, is that wrong ?!! the taste will change ?!! i loved these cupcakes and i wish i’m not made something wrong, thanks a lot
I made these for my co-workers and posted a picture of one on my facebook..my facebook blew up with requests and compliments. The end result…AMAZING!! I love your instructions and explanations. I’ve been cooking and baking for a long time and I learned new things just with this one recipe!! Thank you!!
I’m doing a trial batch on Thursday for a May wedding. Strawberry cupcakes are the brides favorite. Can you freeze the purée?
These are amazing! Totally worth the little bit of prep work. That frosting rocks my socks. Thank you for the recipe and all the tips, they really helped!
So happy these were a hit, Brooke! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
They tasted good but mine ended up more muffin like
Hi Dianna. How so? Where they too dense? I’d love to help troubleshoot.
I made these today for a graduation party. They came out more muffin like as well, not dense just tasted like a pancake/muffin. Not sweet at all, but maybe that was just my berries.
I also thought they tasted like a muffin vs. a cupcake. I do like the buttercream frosting, though
Made these today! They were fire!! (Amazing) everyone loved them! Even the picky (non-sweets people) loved them! Thanks for the recipe!
So i just made these and they are delicious!! I let them cool and had one right away I would sometimes freeze my cupcakes before frosting them so it stays moist. I made these strawberry cupcakes for Saturday and I was wondering if freezing is a bad idea since they have fruit inside or is it no big deal? Im just worried that if i store it in the fridge, it might not be moist anymore by saturday. Its Thursday today. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Hope to hear from you soon!:)
do i need to double this recipe to make a 2 or 3 layer cake?
If I make the strawberry purée ahead of time and refrigerate it, do I need to bring it to room temperature when I actually make the frosting?
Yes! I suggest letting it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Hello is there a video on how to make these I’m sorry to much for me to read lol
do I add all of the strawberry puree to the cream mix, or just the 3 tablespoons. first time making this, just want to be sure. thanks surprise for my 4 yr old. she love strawberries.
Can this be converted to a 9×13 cake?
I am also wondering if this recipe can be made into a cake instead of cupcakes?
Has anyone tried this as a cake?
Hello I need to make a 6 inch and 8 inch layer cake . Will this recipe need to be doubled for each layer? Thank u
How do measure out the strawberies?
Do you chop them up before measuring?
These were so good! I made them for a small birthday get together and everyone absolutely loved them! One person told me they were the best cupcakes she had ever had, and several people asked for the recipe. Thank you so much for another amazing recipe!
I just made the cupcakes and will frost tomorrow. Based on the suggestions in the notes, I did change a couple of things. First, I used cake flour rather than AP. I needed to get it used up and I knew that it would give me a lighter texture. Second, I slightly upped the baking powder to 1 1/2 tsp and baking soda to 3/4 tsp. I wanted to ensure a cake-like cupcakes as they are going to an event tomorrow. I also made sure that all ingredients were room temperature. Finally, I don’t know how you only got 16 cupcakes. Filling the cupcake tins about 2/3 full, I had no trouble getting 24 cupcakes.
Hi Sheryll, Thanks for your comments! I’m making these tomorrow and was wondering if you did 3/4 cup chopped strawberries, or 3/4 whole berries, then chopped. Thank you!
Also- how did they come out with your other mods?
Looking forward to making these next weekend!! If we wanted to go a little lighter on the frosting, do you think 1/2 the frosting recipe still make enough to lightly cover 16 cupcakes?
I’ve made these twice for my daughter’s birthday. She loves all things strawberry! They were a hit both times. I really like the frosting and that the cupcake is not too sweet as the frosting is plenty sweet (a given since the main ingredient is powered sugar!) but not overly sweet (probably due to the salt).. I also love that the frosting is pink naturally and no need for food coloring. Thank you for your recipe!
I’ve seen this question a couple times but no answers yet. I am making them now and I have the same question. Do you measure 3/4 cup of whole strawberries and then chop them or is it 3/4 cup of chopped strawberries?
Also contemplating using cake flour after reading a lot of the comments saying they turned out more like muffins. Not sure yet though…. any thoughts?
Loved the detail instructions and can’t wait till they’re all done to try them!
We made these this weekend and they were great. Wondering what the calorie count is?
I made these and this is probably my fault but the frosting I feel tasted too buttery and sweet- any thoughts why? The consistency was perfect and I used frozen strawberries with all the correct measurements…
Hi Ashley, I was searching for an awesome strawberry cupcake recipe and found this. I am so glad I tried it. I also doubled it and gave half to my grand kids. The cake was so moist and the icing really fluffy; not too sweet. Even my hubby, who doesn’t like frosting raved about it. My granddaughter actually told her mother not to order her cake or cupcakes for her burthday; she wants me to make these cupcakes.
Thank you for such a great recipe. I will make it again and again.
Hey! I love your recipes! I ve tried a few and they all were great. But I have a doubt, there is no sour cream in Argentina, what can I replace it with?
I loved these! The cupcake was kind of muffin like, but it was delicious. And was perfect with the butter cream — not overly sweet. Just a wonderful combination! Thank you!
What does it mean when the cupcakes drop as they are cooling? They baked with nice mounds and then dropped drastically as they cooled. I tried baking them a little longer but that didn’t help. Any ideas?
Hi! Ashley,
Can this recipe be made into a layer cake and what size cake pan would I have to use?
Want to1/2 the recipe. There is only two of us. Need to cut the recipe in 1/2. Pls respond today 4.5.22.
URGENT
Can this recipe be made into a cake? Will the batter make two round cakes that I can slice and layer? And how long do you guess they would need to bake?
Do you think that I could turn these into a cake? I am looking for a lemon strawberry cake but can’t seem to find any recipes that I like… think it would work to add lemon juice and zest to the cake? I would love your thoughts!
After 10 years this strawberry cupcake recipe continues to be my favorite. For the most success, buy small ripe strawberries so the fruit contains less water. The cake texture is dense, but not too sweet and you do not have to search for the strawberry flavor. If you prefer a boxed cake texture, then this cake recipe is not for you.
I’m also Obsessed with the lemon cupcakes with blackberry icing! (total labor of love.) People will hunt me down at a party for these recipes which of course I share!!