Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Real Strawberry Cupcakes, bursting with fresh strawberry puree and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberry slices. Perfect for spring and summer celebrations or any time you crave a sweet, fruity treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 8 large fresh strawberries, or as needed
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- ⅓ 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: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Prepare cupcake pans by spraying them with non-stick spray or lining them with cupcake liners to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Strawberry Puree: Place the 8 large fresh strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, yielding about ¾ cup of smooth strawberry puree. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest, and the prepared strawberry puree until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, instant vanilla pudding mix (if using), and red food coloring (if desired). Mix gently but thoroughly until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Fill Cupcake Cups: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Bake: Place the cupcake pans into the preheated oven. Bake for about 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Prepare Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing continuously until the frosting is fluffy and well combined.
- Frost and Decorate: Once cupcakes are cooled, frost each with approximately 2 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting. Top each cupcake with sliced fresh strawberries for a beautiful and delicious garnish.
Notes
- If you don’t have instant vanilla pudding mix, you can omit it, but it helps keep the cupcakes moist and tender.
- Straining the strawberry puree ensures a smooth batter without seeds that might affect texture.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with a neutral oil like canola or light olive oil if preferred.
- For more vivid color, adding red food coloring to the batter is optional but recommended.
- These cupcakes are best enjoyed the same day but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days due to the cream cheese frosting.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
