I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I also made some small improvements to the recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below. I’ve been on a filled cupcake kick! I love these chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes for Valentine’s Day, and always enjoy hopping over to these coconut and chocolate Easter cupcakes… but as the days continue to warm up, and fresh strawberries come into season, I just knew I had to revisit this older recipe. These are my beloved strawberry shortcake cupcakes.
3 Parts to Love in These Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Make the Strawberry Filling First
Next, Make the Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Or if you happen to have a vanilla bean (an extra one leftover from making homemade vanilla extract, perhaps?), you can scrape the seeds from half a bean, and add along with vanilla extract, just like when making my regular vanilla cupcakes. You can also add vanilla bean seeds to the whipped cream. See recipe Note below.
Fresh Strawberries: You need 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. Mix together with water to make a “slurry” before adding to the saucepan. Otherwise you’ll have lumps of powdery cornstarch in your strawberry filling—no thanks! Lemon Zest: After making several batches of these crowd-pleasing cupcakes, I decided to add a little lemon zest to the filling. WOW. It really, really brightens up the flavor. I use it in the topping for this strawberry cream cheese pie, too.
Make it first, so it has time to completely cool and set up/thicken before you need it to fill the cupcakes.
Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this cupcake batter. Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These leavening agents give the cupcakes lift. Salt: Flavor enhancer/sweetness balancer. Melted Butter: Using melted butter instead of softened butter means you don’t need a mixer to make these wonderfully soft cupcakes. I also appreciate that you can really taste that buttery flavor, something you don’t always get in a cupcake recipe using creamed butter or oil. That’s why I use melted butter in snickerdoodle cupcakes, too. Egg Whites: Using just the whites of the eggs makes for the lightest, fluffiest vanilla cake crumb… something you’ll also enjoy in my favorite white cake recipe. Sour Cream: This keeps the cupcakes moist. Plain yogurt works as a fine substitute. Milk: Whole milk makes for the best taste and texture, but lower-fat or nondairy can work in a pinch. Vanilla Bean Paste: You could just use vanilla extract if that’s all you have, but I highly recommend giving these cupcakes a flavor upgrade with some pure vanilla bean paste. You can usually find it next to the vanilla extract in the grocery store baking aisle, or you can order it online.
The process for making these cupcakes is straightforward. Whisk together dry ingredients, whisk together wet ingredients, and then combine the two.
Filling These Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
With a sharp knife, cut a circle in the cupcake and remove the center, which will be roughly the shape of a cone. Using a small spoon, fill the middle of the cupcake with as much cooled strawberry filling as you can. (Usually between 1–2 teaspoons.) Slice/tear off the pointed tip of the cone-shaped piece of cupcake, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling. We’re using the same method I use to fill these cream-filled chocolate cupcakes and lemon raspberry jam cupcakes, and it’s a piece of [short]cake. If you need extra help with this step, see my How to Fill Cupcakes tutorial and video. It doesn’t have to look pretty, because you’ll top the cupcakes with a fluffy cloud of strawberry whipped cream. I don’t recommend using a piping bag/tip to fill the cupcakes, because the filling is pretty thick and chunky.
Homemade Strawberry Whipped Cream
Now you’re in the home stretch! Of the 3 parts to this recipe, making the strawberry whipped cream topping is the quickest and easiest. It’s similar to my classic homemade whipped cream, but we’re folding in the reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling for a little more flavor, color, and texture. I love the little chunks of strawberry hiding in the light pink whipped cream. Pile the strawberry whipped cream on top of the filled cupcakes, and, for a finishing touch, I like to add a couple of strawberry slices. You will LOVE these!
Can I Make These As a Cake?
Absolutely, and I already have a separate recipe for strawberry shortcake cake. For a layer cake, use my white cake recipe, and today’s strawberry filling. Fill the cooled cake layers with most of the strawberry filling, and save some to fold into the whipped cream. There is plenty of whipped cream for the exterior of the layer cake.
More Favorite Strawberry Dessert Recipes
Strawberry Cake Strawberry & Cream Cookies Pistachio Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Strawberry Shortcake & Strawberry Shortcake Cake
And for even more summertime dessert inspiration, head over to my list of 25+ desserts for a BBQ cookout.
