Summer is here & that pretty much just means FRESH berries on the daily. Am I right?! Can I get an Amen?! We are a pick-your-own strawberry kind of family and typically try to partake at least a few times each summer. Obsessed much? Maybe. Totally in love with all things summer fruits? Absolutely. These gorgeous pink gems need no real introduction, they’re a masterpiece for the eyes. And once you read on, you’ll quickly decide that your dessert menu wants these Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes tonight, too.
Is there anything better than just-picked strawberries? (completely rhetorical question, by the way.)
Um, no. The answer is an emphatic no.
Just-picked, juicy, warm strawberries on a hot summer’s day are a gift from above. If you’ve ever been to a local U-Pick farm, then you my friend, know exactly what I’m twaddling about.
The problem within lies when you get home from a local U-Pick farm and you have so many berries, so many dreams and so little time. So…you hull them and just eat about 2/3rds of them before you actually make anything from the berries.
No? Only a problem for myself? Ok, I’m glad it only happens to me. š
But…not this year. I was determined to create a few new stellar recipes to share with y’all.
Of course, there’s the pies, jams and jellies that many people like to create, but I’m not really into much of the jams and jellies. I leave that up to my mama. She does it well and shares her bounty, so why would I bother?
I’m more of a baker – muffins, cupcakes, scones, cakes. However, let’s not forget the fresh fruit cocktails and smoothies that can come from these gorgeous ruby-red gems. Ohmylanta.
After searching through my recipe repertoire, I decided I did not have a *really* good strawberry cupcake recipe that I had invented yet. This year’s U-Pick haul was going to change that.
Cupcake Batter Basics
Since I have a slight love affair with cupcakes as an entire genre of desserts, I stuck with what I know to create a batter that is rich, dense and undeniably delicious.
The basic ratios of liquids, fats, flour and leavening ingredients that I’ve learned in the past worked well for this cupcake EXCEPT when it came to adding the strawberries themselves.
See, strawberries are so…wet. They’re kind of a pain in the tookis to incorporate into batters because they sink if not properly integrated. I had to come up with a way to keep the strawberries afloat in the batter so that each bite would be filled with sweet strawberry goodness.
Pro Tip: Coat the strawberries in just a bit of flour so they’ll stay suspended in the rich batter!
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
I love buttercream frosting. I like it so much, that I’ll smear it on crackers, fruit…whatever. It’s seriously the best!
Like, the real kind of buttercream made with the simplest ingredients: real butter, pure vanilla, cream or milk and powdered sugar.
For this cupcake, I also wanted the frosting to include strawberries. Because strawberry cupcakes deserve strawberry frosting as well. However, since strawberries are so juicy, I didn’t want a watery, messy strawberry buttercream. The desire was a smooth, creamy, strawberry-flavored and colored buttercream.
Pro Tip: To create a berry buttercream, create a jam-like puree of the fruit, first. Then, incorporate the puree into the buttercream mixture in a perfect ratio to get the frosting of your dreams.
Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes
At the end of all of this recipe creation, I wanted a cupcake that was tender, dense and really rich with the most perfect pink-tinged buttercream.
My family says I nailed it.
I sure hope you enjoy these Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes as much as we have. Perhaps they’ll become your go-to summer dessert?
After making these beauties, head back over to the blog and grab some other delicious recipes or travel inspiration. I’m hoping that you’ll find something over there that everyone in your family loves!
Until next time…Eat Well. Travel Often. Love Much.
XOXO
Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes
The very best of the summer berry season has arrived! An incredibly soft, tender-crumbed fresh strawberry cupcake is topped with - undoubtedly - the most delicious homemade strawberry buttercream you've ever tasted. Fresh & delicious - this is what summer is made for!
Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (you may also use regular milk, but buttermilk lends a more tender crumb - IF you do not have buttermilk on hand, simply place 1 tsp. white vinegar in a measuring cup and fill with milk until you reach 1/2 cup. Let that mixture stand at room temp for 30 minutes to 1 hour and you now have spoiled milk or a similar version to buttermilk)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 2 T. all purpose flour (for coating the diced strawberries)
- Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 cup salted butter-room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 T. half n' half
- 5 T. strawberry puree (made from the 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries above)
Directions
- Step 1 For the cupcakes ā preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2 In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Step 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Step 4 In a small bowl, toss the 2 T. flour and the diced strawberries together until the strawberries are completely coated. Gently fold the floured strawberries into the wet cupcake batter.
- Step 5 Prepare a 12 unit cupcake or muffin tin fitted with muffin papers or spray with nonstick spray.
- Step 6 Fill each well until about 2/3rds ā 3/4ās of the way full.
- Step 7 Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out without wet batter on it.
- Step 8 Set cupcakes aside to cool completely.
- Step 9 Meanwhile, while the cupcakes are baking, make the strawberry puree and the frosting:
- Step 10 To create a thick strawberry puree, slice 1 1/2 cups of strawberries and place them in a small saucepan. Bring the saucepan to a gentle simmer and allow the strawberries to cook and get very soft. Taking a smooth potato masher tool OR the back of a wooden spoon, smash the strawberries so the juices burst and they get very jammy in consistency.
- Step 11 Cook about 8-10 minutes until the mixture becomes very thick and the berries are a smooth mixture.
- Step 12 Cool slightly. Then, place the berry mixture into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend for about 30-45 seconds until very smooth. Place in the refrigerator and allow the strawberry puree to cool completely.
- Step 13 Once the strawberry puree is cool, using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium to high speed, beat the 1 cup butter until very soft and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract and about 3 T. of the cooled strawberry puree. Now, with your mixer on low, add 2-3 cups of the powdered sugar and mix until the mixture becomes very smooth and creamy ā like frosting. Gently bring your mixer up to medium to high speed once the powdered sugar has been incorporated and beat until it resembles frosting and is very thick. Add the 1 T. half nā half, remaining powdered sugar and the 2 T. remaining strawberry puree.
- Step 14 You may need to adjust the consistency if your butter is very warm or the strawberry puree was thin. Adjust with a little additional powdered sugar (if your mixture is thin) or a little extra half nā half OR strawberry puree (if the frosting is too thick).
- Step 15 Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, frost as desired using an off-set spatula OR piping bag and tip.
- Step 16 Enjoy!Ā
Strawberry cake has long been a favorite of mine. I always get one on my birthday, but these look so delicious, I may have to eat them all the time! Happy monthly birthday anniversary to me? Sounds like a plan!
That sounds like the most excellent plan! And…these strawberry cupcakes are absolutely divine. Enjoy!