Easy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
These easy strawberry shortcake cupcakes are bursting with fresh strawberries and irresistible strawberry whipped cream frosting as filling! They are a fun, personal-sized version of the classic dessert.
For the batter, I use a variation of my tried and true vanilla cupcake recipe, adding fresh ripe berries and lemon zest. The better your berries taste, the better the strawberry shortcake cupcakes will taste.
The whipped cream on top is also made with fresh fruit. When piping the whipped cream (chantilly cream), be sure to use a large piping tip. Otherwise, the finely diced strawberry bits could clog the tip.
Also be sure that you’ve let the cupcakes cool completely to avoid melting any of the whipped cream.
One of my favorite parts of these cupcakes is the surprise filling inside. To fill the cupcakes with the light strawberry filling, use a small pairing knife to core out a hole in the cupcake and spoon or pipe in strawberry whipped cream. (Read my guide on filled cupcakes if you are new to this process.)
Variations
- Try more traditional strawberry cupcakes frosted with buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
- Instead of using the cupcake recipe in this post, try using angel food cupcakes or pound cake cupcakes as the base. Then fill the cupcakes with strawberries and top with fresh whipped cream.
- Try decorating with fresh or macerated strawberries on top!
- For another option that is still single-serving, try making mini shortcakes in cupcake liners. Cut them in half, and then layer them with whipped cream and berries and/or strawberry jam. This version isn’t really a cupcake, but it’s just as good!
Finally, if you want something strawberry that’s totally unique and tastes like berries plucked right from the patch, try my strawberry basil cupcakes with basil buttercream!
FAQs
A typical shortcake is made with butter; in the old English definition, a “short” is anything that’s made crisp with a specific kind of fat. Shortcake is usually somewhat crispy and crumbly. This easy strawberry shortcake recipe takes a more soft and moist approach.
If you do need to store your cupcakes, I recommend keeping them in a cool place like the fridge. Because of the delicate nature of whipped cream, even sitting at room temperature can cause the filling and topping to loosen and soak into the cupcakes.
A classic shortcake batter is quite thick, but the batter for this strawberry shortcake dessert will be more of a traditional cupcake batter.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour not self-rising
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest zest from 1 small lemon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup finely chopped strawberries about 5 large strawberries washed and with the tops cut off
Whipped Cream Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree about 10 large strawberries food processed until they are a thick seedy liquid
Instructions
Cupcake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, lemon zest, and butter on high speed until fully combined.
- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients a little bit at a time until just combined.
- Mix in milk until just combined.
- Use a spatula to fold in chopped strawberries.
- Fill cupcake liners halfway full.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from cupcake tin immediately and set on the counter to cool.
Whipped Cream and Assembly Instructions
- Whisk cream using an electric mixer on high speed fitted with the whisk attachment until it can hold a peak.
- Mix in sugar.
- Whisk in pureed strawberries until just combined.
- Core a hole in the middle of each cupcake using a paring knife.
- Fill the holes with whipped cream by spooning or piping it in.
- Optionally replace the piece of cupcake that you removed.
- Pipe remaining whipped cream over the tops of the cupcakes.
- If not eating within a few hours, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- You can use all-purpose flour in this recipe instead of cake flour. The results won’t be dramatically different. The cake will just be a little more dense.
- Yogurt can be substituted 1:1 for the sour cream.Â
- Be careful not to overmix to keep your cupcakes from getting gummy.
- Only fill your cupcake liners halfway. To be completely certain that you are filling the right amount, bake a single test cupcake before baking the rest of the batch.
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting so that the frosting doesn’t melt.
- Make sure to use cold heavy cream.
- If your strawberries were frozen, be sure to drain off any extra liquid before pureeing.
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