These strawberry cupcakes pack a flavor punch from fresh berries mixed into the batter. Made without gelatin, they are moist and fluffy and topped with an equally flavorful strawberry buttercream frosting.

Servings: 16 cupcakes

Download printable recipe card here.

INGREDIENTS:

Strawberry cupcakes:

1 cup sliced strawberries
1½ cups + 2 tablespoons (195g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, room temperature
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 tablespoons (30g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
½ cup (120g) milk, room temperature

Strawberry buttercream:

½ cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2–2½ cups (240–300g) powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons (30-45mL) milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

How to make STRAWBERRY Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line the wells of a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Place the chopped strawberries in a blender or food processor and pulse 10–12 times until the strawberries are somewhere between finely chopped and puréed. You want mostly large and small chunks with some liquid. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of the mixer you plan to use for the cupcake batter fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg white to medium-soft peaks. This means you want the peaks to stand up but curl over slightly when the whisk is lifted away. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture, approximately 2–3 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg, and sour cream and continue blending until everything is completely incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk. Mix until batter is just combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, then add the whipped egg white. Use a large spatula to gently fold the egg white into the batter. When the egg white is mostly incorporated, add the strawberries and fold them in until evenly dispersed. Continue to work gently so as not to deflate the batter.
Spoon batter evenly into the cupcake liners filling ½–⅔ of the way full.
Bake for 20–22 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the cupcakes need a little longer, indicated by wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a minute longer and retest, taking care not to overbake the cupcakes as they will dry out. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pans completely on a wire rack before removing and decorating.
To make the strawberry buttercream, use a blender or food processor to process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. Add the strawberry powder and salt, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Frost cupcakes using a large zip top bag with the corner snipped off or a pastry bag fitted with your decorating tip of choice.