Description
Delight in these Real Strawberry Cupcakes bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, moist texture, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and sliced strawberries. Perfect for any celebration or a sweet treat!
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter:
- 8 large fresh strawberries, or as needed
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- â…“ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix (optional)
- 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¾ cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large fresh strawberries, sliced (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease or line your cupcake pans with liners to prevent sticking and set them aside.
- Make Strawberry Puree: Place 8 fresh strawberries into a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds, reserving about ¾ cup for the batter.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and the fresh strawberry puree until thoroughly combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, optional pudding mix, and optional red food coloring until the batter is smooth and even.
- Fill Cupcake Cups: Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for approximately 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow cupcakes to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Prepare Frosting: In a bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until the frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Frost and Top Cupcakes: Using about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting per cupcake, frost each one generously. Garnish the top with sliced fresh strawberries for a pretty, fresh finish.
Notes
- To avoid seeds in the batter, be sure to strain the strawberry puree thoroughly.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix adds extra moisture and flavor but can be omitted for a more traditional cupcake.
- Use fresh and ripe strawberries for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are softened for smooth frosting.
- These cupcakes are best eaten within 2 days or stored refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting.
