These gorgeous Strawberry Cupcakes look as good as they taste! Fluffy cupcakes, loaded with strawberry chunks and topped with a finger licking cream cheese frosting – berry delicious!
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Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Packed with flavor, these easy strawberry cupcakes will bring a smile to anyone’s face! Moist and fluffy cupcakes, crowned with a delicious cream cheese frosting – these luscious red beauties are perfect for parties, a Valentine’s Day dessert, or any time you need a sweet pick-me-up!
Looking for more baked treats? Why not also try my Velvet Chocolate Cake Recipe with Chocolate Ganache Icing and my Homemade Carrot Cake.
Why You’ll Love this Strawberry Cupcake Recipe:
- Fruity: Filled with chunks of fresh or frozen strawberries, these cupcakes are full of flavor.
- Creamy: The cream cheese frosting adds that slight tang to the cupcakes and is perfect with the sweet strawberries
- Easy: Simple to prep, easy to assemble – these yummy cupcakes are a breeze to make.
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. Jell-O is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
Sweet, red, and delicious – these generously frosted cupcakes are total crowd-pleasers!
How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to mix your batter ingredients.
- Divide the batter into prepared cupcake tins and bake for 15 mins.
- Using a hand mixer, mix your frosting ingredients in a bowl.
- Use a piping bag to frost your cupcakes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- White Cake Mix: An easy shortcut for delicious cupcakes that come out perfect every time!
- Strawberry Jell-O: Adds strawberry flavor and a gorgeous pink color to the cupcakes.
- Oil: Makes these cupcakes ultra-moist.
- Water: Contributes moisture and helps the cupcake batter come together.
- Eggs: Provide structure and richness to the cupcakes.
- Strawberries: Add a fresh strawberry flavor and a bit of texture to the cupcakes and frosting.
- Cream Cheese: The base of this frosting. Cream cheese makes a thick and delicious frosting with a light tang.
- Butter: Adds structure and spreadability to the frosting.
- Honey: Adds a touch of floral sweetness to the frosting.
- Vanilla: Adds a warm vanilla flavor that balances the frosting.
- Salt: Brings out the flavors of the frosting.
You sure can! While the cake mix is a great shortcut, you can bake this fresh strawberry cake recipe into cupcakes for a real wow factor!
Yes! You can use fresh or frozen strawberries (or a combination of both!). If using frozen strawberries, be sure to thaw and drain them before using them in the batter or frosting. I still recommend topping these cupcakes with fresh halved strawberries, though, as frozen just won’t be as pretty.
Dry cupcakes are most likely caused by overmixing the batter. It’s important to have a light hand when mixing the batter.
If your cream cheese frosting is too thin, add cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. If your cream cheese frosting is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Loaded with fresh strawberries, these perfectly sweet and delicious cupcakes make for the best spring and summer desserts!
Storage Instructions
Store strawberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
I always recommend freezing your cupcakes and frosting separately. Freeze the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and freeze the frosting in a Ziplock bag for up to 1 month. Let the frosting and cupcakes thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and serving. You may wish to re-whip the frosting before piping it.
Cupcake Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- Feel free to sub in a different flavor of Jell-O, such as lemon, for a lemon-strawberry cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven, one tray at a time, for the most even bake. Rotate halfway through baking if some are browning too quickly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before topping them with frosting.
- Add a few drops of pink food coloring to the batter and frosting for a deeper red color.
- Dust with crushed, freeze-dried strawberries if you have them for a festive pop of color.
- Use the nicest strawberries you can find for topping the cupcakes. You can use the uglier ones (or frozen) in the cupcakes and the frosting.
More Summery Dessert Recipes We Love
- Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry Tiramisu
- Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
- Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Pie
- Strawberry Pound Cake
- Strawberry Desserts & Recipes
Each one of these lusciously red cupcakes is filled with strawberries and adorned with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Super easy to make, even novice bakers can whip up a big batch! Whether it’s for dessert, a summer party, or a Valentine’s Day treat – you will love these joyful little cupcakes!
More Cupcake Recipes to Try:
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Brownie Cupcakes
- The Best Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Apple Pie Cupcakes
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 2 Cupcake Tin
- Hand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Cupcakes
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix 432 grams (1 box) – see note
- 3 ounces Strawberry Jell-O mix 85 grams (1 small box)
- ½ cup vegetable oil 100 grams (see note)
- ½ cup water 114 grams
- 4 large eggs 200 grams, room temperature
- ½ cup chopped strawberries 84 grams, thawed and drained if frozen
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 strawberries washed, hulled, dried & finely minced or pureéd (enough to have 4 tablespoons finely minced strawberries)
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
For the Strawberry Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325°F and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spray 2 cupcake tins with nonstick baking spray or line with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix together the cake mix, Jell-O mix, oil, and water until the batter is smooth and the dry ingredients are incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Fold in the strawberries.15.25 ounces white cake mix, 3 ounces Strawberry Jell-O mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup water, 4 large eggs, ½ cup chopped strawberries
- Divide the batter equally, filling each well ¾ full, into the prepared cupcake tins. Place on the middle rack and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a middle cupcake comes out clean. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Transfer the cupcake tins to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from hot tins to completely cool.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter, at medium speed, with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Finely mince the strawberries in a food processor or by hand.8 strawberries
- Add 3 tablespoons minced strawberries to the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, one cup at-a-time, and beat until fully incorporated and smooth and is the desired consistency. (If the frosting is too thick, add 1 more tablespoon of strawberries. If the frosting is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup at-a-time until desired consistency).7 cups powdered sugar
- Add lemon zest and beat until incorporated.zest of 1 lemon
- Use a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice or a knife to frost the cupcakes. Top with halved fresh strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Cake Mix: You can use any size box of cake mix, from 14.5 to 16.5 ounces.
- Oil: You can use melted refined coconut oil or canola oil instead of vegetable.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- Feel free to sub in a different flavor of Jell-O, such as lemon, for a lemon-strawberry cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven, one tray at a time, for the most even bake. Rotate halfway through baking if some are browning too quickly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before topping them with frosting.
- Add a few drops of pink food coloring to the batter and frosting for a deeper red color.
- Dust with crushed, freeze-dried strawberries if you have them for a festive pop of color.
- Use the nicest strawberries you can find for topping the cupcakes. You can use the uglier ones in the cupcakes and the frosting.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
