Plate of strawberry cupcakes with pink icing and sliced strawberries on top

Description

Try this delicious cupcake recipe for a layered burst of strawberry flavor. First you swirl berry sauce into the batter, then add more to a rich buttercream and top it all off with a fresh, juicy strawberry garnish. There's no mistake this berry cupcake is overflowing with strawberry flavor.

Sauce
  • 1 Package (16 ounces) Driscoll's strawberries, divided
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons granulated sugar
Crust
  • 12 purchased shortbread cookies, such as Lorna Doone
  • 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons granulated sugar
Cupcakes
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 Cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 Cup cake flour
  • 1 Tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tsp. salt
  • 1/3 Cup whole milk
  • 1 Tsp. vanilla
Buttercream
  • 1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 Cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. whole milk
Sauce
  1. PLACE half of 1 package strawberries into a food processor or blender.
  2. ADD 1½ teaspoons cornstarch and 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar.
  3. PULSE until pureed.
  4. TRANSFER mixture to a small saucepan.
  5. COOK over medium heat and STIR constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
  6. COOK and STIR for 1 additional minute or until mixture thickens.
  7. TRANSFER strawberry sauce to a small bowl.
  8. COVER with plastic wrap and CHILL in refrigerator until needed.
Crust
  1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
  2. LINE a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  3. PLACE 12 shortbread cookies into a food processor and PULSE until reduced to fine crumbs.
  4. TRANSFER crumbs to a medium bowl.
  5. ADD 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar.
  6. STIR until blended.
  7. DIVIDE crumb mixture evenly between paper liners and PRESS evenly into bottoms with a tart tamper or the back of a spoon.
  8. BAKE 5 minutes.
  9. ALLOW to cool completely.
Cupcakes
  1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
  2. PLACE 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.
  3. ADD 2/3 cup granulated sugar.
  4. BEAT until light and fluffy.
  5. ADD 1 large egg and BEAT again until thoroughly combined.
  6. SET ASIDE butter mixture.
  7. PLACE 1 cup cake flour into a small bowl.
  8. ADD 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
  9. STIR to combine ingredients and SET ASIDE flour mixture.
  10. POUR 1/3 cup whole milk into a measuring cup.
  11. STIR IN 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and SET ASIDE milk mixture.
  12. ADD one-third of flour mixture to butter mixture and BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
  13. ADD half of milk mixture to butter mixture and BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
  14. ADD half of remaining flour mixture to butter mixture and BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
  15. ADD remaining milk mixture to butter mixture and BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
  16. ADD remaining flour mixture to butter mixture and BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
  17. DIVIDE batter evenly between prepared muffin cups.
  18. DOLLOP 1½ teaspoons strawberry sauce over each batter filled cup and RESERVE remaining sauce for frosting.
  19. SWIRL sauce into batter using a knife or narrow spatula.
  20. BAKE 18 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center cupcake comes out clean.
  21. ALLOW cupcakes to cool completely.
Buttercream
  1. PLACE 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter into a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. ADD 2 cups confectioners' sugar.
  3. BEAT until creamy.
  4. FOLD IN reserved strawberry sauce.
  5. ADD additional 1 tablespoon whole milk if needed to adjust consistency.
  6. SPREAD frosting over cupcakes.
  7. HULL remaining strawberries, SLICE in half, and PLACE onto cupcakes.
  8. SERVE immediately.
Recipe Creator
  1. Recipe developed by San Francisco food blogger Anita Chu. Anita is a Bay Area native, living and working around San Francisco, with a lifelong addiction to all things sweet. After attending a six-month professional pastry course at Tante Marie's Cooking School and then working in a little bakery in the East Bay Anita started her blog, Dessert First, as a way to combine several of her interests: baking, photography, and writing. Anita does freelance work as a food writer, stylist, and photographer. She is also the author of two cookbooks, Field Guide to Cookies (2008) and Field Guide to Candy (2009). Anita's Swirled Strawberry Cupcakes reflect her love for both cupcakes and strawberries.
Serving Size:

1 cupcake

Calories 360.73
Total Fat 17.97 g
Saturated Fat 11.54 g
Cholesterol 61.22 mg
Sodium 289.14 mg
Total Carbohydrates 47.44 g
Dietary Fiber 1.17 g
Protein 2.76 g