A favourite spring and summer season dessert in hand held shape, those vanilla bean-speckled strawberry shortcake cupcakes are full of selfmade strawberry filling and crowned with strawberry whipped cream—all made with actual strawberries. It’s like consuming strawberry shortcake, however as a buttery comfortable cupcake!

I’ve been on a stuffed cupcake kick! I like those chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes for Valentine’s Day, and at all times revel in hopping over to those coconut and chocolate Easter cupcakes… however as the times proceed to heat up, and recent strawberries come into season, I simply knew I needed to revisit this older recipe. Those are my liked strawberry shortcake cupcakes. I in the beginning revealed them again in 2013!
3 Portions to Love in Those Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
- Vanilla Bean Cupcakes: As an alternative of biscuits like vintage strawberry shortcake, the bottom of this summery deal with is a comfortable and lightweight vanilla cupcake, flavored with natural vanilla bean paste. My strawberry vanilla crisp additionally pairs strawberry + vanilla in combination—what a pleasing duo!
- Strawberry Filling: You’ll fill the cupcakes with a jam-like strawberry filling, which comes in combination simply at the range, similar to this raspberry cake filling.
- Strawberry Whipped Cream: No piping pointers had to peak those strawberry shortcake cupcakes! I’m giving selfmade whipped cream a berry spice up through folding in probably the most reserved strawberry filling. It’s fast and simple to make, and so very tasty.
One reader, Vicki, commented: “I presented to make my neighbor cupcakes for her birthday and she or he asked one thing mild and now not too candy. This recipe appeared very best and she or he stated they had been the most efficient cupcakes she’s ever had in her existence! I completely love the whipped topping and suppose the leftover quantity could be nice on pancakes or waffles. Thank you such a lot for sharing this recipe! Will indubitably make it once more! ★★★★★“

Make the Strawberry Filling First
Grasp Those Components:
- Contemporary Strawberries: You wish to have about 2 cups (about 300–320g) of diced strawberries.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar to sweeten the berry filling.
- Cornstarch + Water: Cornstarch is the thickener for this filling. Combine in conjunction with water to make a “slurry” earlier than including to the saucepan. Differently you’ll have lumps of powdery cornstarch to your strawberry filling—no thank you!
- Lemon Zest: After making a number of batches of those crowd-pleasing cupcakes, I made up our minds so as to add a bit lemon zest to the filling. WOW. It in point of fact, in point of fact brightens up the flavour. I exploit it within the topping for this strawberry cream cheese pie, too.
The filling aggregate thickens at the range and is analogous to a candy and thick selfmade strawberry jam with a couple of wonderful chunks of actual strawberry. It’s so much like this strawberry sauce topping, simplest thicker as a result of we’re the use of it inside of cupcakes.
Make it first, so it has time to fully cool and arrange/thicken earlier than you wish to have it to fill the cupcakes.

Subsequent, Make the Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Right here’s What You Want & Why:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the bottom of this cupcake batter.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Those leavening brokers give the cupcakes carry.
- Salt: Taste enhancer/sweetness balancer.
- Melted Butter: The use of melted butter as an alternative of softened butter method you don’t desire a mixer to make those splendidly comfortable cupcakes. I additionally admire that you’ll be able to in point of fact style that buttery taste, one thing you don’t at all times get in a cupcake recipe the use of creamed butter or oil.
- Egg Whites: The use of simply the whites of the eggs makes for the lightest, fluffiest vanilla cake crumb… one thing you’ll additionally revel in in my favourite white cake recipe.
- Bitter Cream: This helps to keep the cupcakes wet. Simple yogurt works as a tremendous replace.
- Milk: Entire milk makes for the most efficient style and texture, however lower-fat or nondairy can paintings in a pinch.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: You want to simply use vanilla extract if that’s all you’ve, however I extremely suggest giving those cupcakes a taste improve with some natural vanilla bean paste. You’ll normally to find it subsequent to the vanilla extract within the grocery retailer baking aisle, or you’ll be able to order it on-line.
Or if you happen to occur to have a vanilla bean (an additional one leftover from making selfmade vanilla extract, in all probability?), you’ll be able to scrape the seeds from part a bean, and upload at the side of vanilla extract, similar to when making my steady vanilla cupcakes. You’ll additionally upload vanilla bean seeds to the whipped cream. See recipe Word under.

The method for making those cupcakes is easy. Whisk in combination dry elements, whisk in combination rainy elements, after which mix the 2.
Luck Tip
You’ll have sufficient batter for 15 cupcakes, so line a normal 12-cup muffin pan after which a 2d one with 3 extra cupcake liners. Fill the liners simply 2/3 of the way in which complete. Don’t attempt to match the entire batter into 12 cups—the cupcakes will spill over the perimeters when baking, and also you’ll have a large sloppy mess. (But even so, if you happen to serve a dozen cupcakes, nobody could have any concept there have been 3 additional cupcakes that in some way went lacking… that may be our little secret.)


Filling Those Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
When your cupcakes and filling are each totally cool, it’s time to fill them. Ahead of you get started, put aside 1/2 cup of the filling to make use of within the strawberry whipped cream topping.
We’re the use of the similar manner I exploit to fill those cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, and it’s a work of [short]cake.
With a pointy knife, reduce a circle within the cupcake and take away the middle, which can be more or less the form of a cone. The use of a small spoon, fill the center of the cupcake with as a lot cooled strawberry filling as you’ll be able to. (In most cases between 1–2 teaspoons.) Slice/tear off the pointed tip of the cone-shaped piece of cupcake, and gently press the around piece again on peak of the filling.

It doesn’t have to seem lovely, since you’ll peak the cupcakes with a fluffy cloud of strawberry whipped cream. I don’t suggest the use of a piping bag/tip to fill the cupcakes, for the reason that filling is lovely thick and chunky.
Do-it-yourself Strawberry Whipped Cream
Now you’re in the house stretch! Of the three portions to this recipe, making the strawberry whipped cream topping is the fastest and best. It’s very similar to my vintage selfmade whipped cream, however we’re folding within the reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling for a bit extra taste, colour, and texture. I like the little chunks of strawberry hiding within the mild red whipped cream.


Pile the strawberry whipped cream on peak of the stuffed cupcakes, and, for a completion, I really like so as to add a few strawberry slices. You’ll LOVE those!
Can I Make Those As a Cake?
Completely, and I have already got a separate recipe for strawberry shortcake cake. For a layer cake, use my white cake recipe, and lately’s strawberry filling. Fill the cooled cake layers with lots of the strawberry filling, and avoid wasting to fold into the whipped cream. There’s numerous whipped cream for the outside of the layer cake.

Extra Favourite Strawberry Dessert Recipes

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook dinner Time: 22 mins
General Time: 3 hours (comprises cooling)
Yield: 15 cupcakes
Class: Cupcakes
Way: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
You’re taking a look at 100% selfmade strawberry shortcake, however in cupcake shape! Do-it-yourself strawberry filling joins vanilla bean cupcakes and berry-speckled whipped cream to create an epic deal with that’s completely match for spring and summertime. Get ready the strawberry filling first so it has time to chill and thicken earlier than the use of. Evaluate recipe Notes earlier than starting.
Strawberry Filling
Cupcakes
Strawberry Whipped Cream
Directions
- Make the strawberry filling first: The use of a fork, combine the cornstarch and water in combination in a small bowl till the cornstarch has dissolved—aggregate is thick. Heat the strawberries and sugar in combination in a small saucepan over medium warmth. Stir the combination because it chefs, and get a divorce probably the most strawberries as you stir. Deliver it to a simmer. As soon as simmering, stir within the cornstarch aggregate. Permit to simmer for five mins, stirring repeatedly. After 5 mins, take away from warmth, stir within the lemon zest, and funky totally. Combination thickens because it cools. (It will have to totally cool, so moving to a bowl out of the saucepan is helping pace that up, as does refrigerating it. You’ll whole a couple of different steps within the recipe as the combination cools.)
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 15 cupcakes, so line a 2d muffin pan with 3 cupcake liners, or bake in batches.
- In a big bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in combination. Put aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar in combination. Combination can be gritty. Whisk within the egg whites, bitter cream, milk, and vanilla bean paste/extract till mixed.
- Pour the rainy elements into the dry elements and whisk till the batter is totally mixed. Batter must be creamy and most commonly clean; a couple of small lumps are OK.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling simplest 2/3 complete to keep away from spilling over the perimeters. You’ll have sufficient batter for 15 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 mins, or till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out blank.
- Take away cupcakes from the oven and make allowance them to chill within the pan for 10 mins, after which switch to a twine rack to chill totally. Cupcakes will have to be totally cooled earlier than filling and topping.
- Fill the cupcakes: First, put aside 1/2 cup of the filling for the whipped cream topping. The use of a pointy knife, reduce a circle into the middle of the cooled cupcakes to create a bit pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you got rid of can be form of cone-shaped. Spoon probably the most cooled and thickened strawberry filling inside of every carved-out cupcake—use on the other hand a lot will match. (I exploit a teaspoon for this. In most cases you’ll be able to match between 1–2 teaspoons of filling in every.) Slice/tear off the sharp finish of the “cone” piece of cupcake you got rid of, and gently press the around piece again on peak of the filling.
- Make the whipped cream: The use of a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste/extract on medium-high pace till medium peaks shape, about 3–4 mins. Medium peaks are between comfortable/free peaks and stiff peaks, and are the easiest consistency for topping and piping on muffins. In the event you by accident over-whip the cream, and it appears to be like curdled and heavy, pour in a bit bit extra chilly heavy cream, and fold it in gently through hand with a spatula till it smooths out. Fold within the reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling. Use right away or quilt tightly and relax within the fridge for as much as 24 hours.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. I used an icing spatula, however a knife works simply tremendous. I pile the whipped cream on in point of fact excessive as pictured, and you’ll be able to for sure do the similar! You’ll have some leftover if you happen to don’t use as a lot on every cupcake. Garnish cupcakes with sliced strawberries and/or recent mint.
- Serve right away or retailer within the fridge till in a position to serve. Quilt and retailer leftover cupcakes within the fridge for as much as 5 days. I like to recommend a cupcake service for storing and transporting adorned cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Bake the cupcakes 1 day prematurely. Stay cupcakes coated tightly at room temperature and fill/frost the day of serving. You’ll make the strawberry filling and retailer it coated within the fridge for as much as 2–3 days earlier than the use of. Likewise, you’ll be able to make the strawberry whipped cream and retailer it coated within the fridge for as much as 1 day earlier than the use of. Unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes can also be frozen as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and produce to room temperature earlier than assembling and serving.
- Particular Gear (associate hyperlinks): USA Pan Cupcake Pan or Wilton Cupcake Pan | Cupcake Liners | Electrical Mixer (Hand-held or Stand Mixer) | Small Icing Spatula | Cupcake Service
- Replace in 2023: This recipe was once in the beginning revealed in 2013. Over time, I made some delicate enhancements. The filling used to name for 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar, and I discovered it was once just too candy. I additionally added lemon zest to the filling, to assist enliven the flavour. The cupcakes now use 1 teaspoon of baking powder, as an alternative of one/2 teaspoon. They upward push a bit taller and style a little bit fluffier now.
- Can I Use Frozen Strawberries? Frozen strawberries paintings in a pinch, however the filling holds MUCH higher form when the use of recent strawberries. I strongly suggest the use of recent. If the use of frozen, thaw and pat dry earlier than beginning.
- Egg Whites: It’s highest to make use of simplest egg whites on this cupcake recipe as a result of they’ll make sure that the crumb isn’t weighed down through the fats in egg yolks. If wanted, you’ll be able to use 1 complete egg as an alternative. Be mindful the feel of the cupcake will trade.
- Bitter Cream & Entire Milk: Bitter cream and entire milk are strongly really helpful for the most efficient style and texture. A full-fat simple yogurt would paintings as an alternative of bitter cream, although the cupcakes will not be as mild. Identical is going with a lower-fat milk (I don’t suggest nonfat). Nondairy milk works in a pinch. You’ll change each the entire milk and bitter cream with buttermilk (1 cup/240ml) if wanted.
- Vanilla: I like the use of vanilla bean paste within the cupcakes and whipped cream as it combines each extract AND vanilla bean seeds. You’ll, in fact use natural vanilla extract as an alternative. If the use of vanilla extract, and if you need that additional vanilla bean taste, be happy so as to add the seeds scraped from 1/2 of a vanilla bean within the cupcake batter, and use the seeds from the opposite part of the vanilla bean within the whipped cream. (That is along with the liquid vanilla extract.)
- Can I Make This Right into a Cake? Completely, and I have already got a separate recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cake. For a layer cake, use my white cake recipe, and lately’s strawberry filling. Fill the cooled cake layers with lots of the strawberry filling, and avoid wasting to fold into the whipped cream. There’s numerous whipped cream for the outside of the layer cake.
- Make sure that to take a look at my 10 pointers for baking the BEST cupcakes earlier than you start.
Key phrases: strawberry shortcake cupcakes