Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

These strawberry filled cupcakes are soft, fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with a homemade fresh strawberry compote and topped with a strawberry buttercream frosting that gets its color entirely from real strawberries.

Jump to:

• 🧁 A little cupcake history
• 🧾 Ingredients
• ⭐ Ingredient notes
• 🥣 How to make strawberry filled cupcakes
• 💫 Variations
• 🍽️ Serving suggestions
• 🧺 Storage
• 👩‍🍳 Pro tips
• ❓ FAQ
• 📝 Recipe

The filling is a quick homemade strawberry compote made with fresh strawberries, which gives you a real strawberry flavor that jam just can't match. It comes together in about five minutes on the stove and a couple spoonfuls go straight into the frosting too.

The cupcakes themselves are light and fluffy, made from scratch with simple ingredients you probably already have. And the frosting is a strawberry buttercream that gets its pink color entirely from real strawberries - no food coloring needed.

If strawberries are your thing, you're definitely in the right place. My strawberry crunch cupcakes are another crowd favorite if you want something with a little crunch, and my strawberry simple syrup is worth keeping in your fridge all summer long. And if you're looking for a fun strawberry breakfast, my strawberry shortcake waffles are always a hit.

🧁 A little cupcake history

Cupcakes have been around since the late 1700s, when they were originally called "number cakes" or "1234 cakes" because the recipes were measured in cups rather than by weight. The name "cupcake" came later, either from being baked in small cups or from that cup-measurement method, depending on who you ask. The first known written recipe appeared in 1796. They were basically just a faster version of regular cake, since small individual portions baked much quicker than a full-sized cake in a wood-fired oven. Which is still a pretty good reason to make them.

🧾 Ingredients

⭐ Ingredient notes

• Strawberries - Fresh is the way to go here. You'll use them in both the homemade strawberry filling and the frosting, so the fresher and riper the better.
• Cornstarch - This is what thickens the fresh strawberry compote so it holds its shape inside the cupcake instead of running everywhere.
• Butter - Make sure it's at room temperature for both the cupcakes and the frosting. Cold butter won't cream properly.
• Egg whites - Whites only here, no yolks. This is what keeps the cupcakes light and fluffy.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt - Either works great. Both add moisture and a subtle tang that makes the cupcakes taste a little more interesting.
• Powdered sugar - Sift it before using if you want a really smooth frosting.
• Heavy cream - This is what brings the frosting together at the end and gives it that smooth, pipeable consistency.

See the recipe card below for full ingredients and measurements.

🥣 How to make strawberry filled cupcakes

Make the filling first

Add the chopped strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and water to a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and the strawberries break down.

Set aside to cool, or pop it in the fridge to speed things up while you make the cupcakes.

Make the cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites, sour cream or Greek yogurt, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Don't overmix or the cupcakes will turn out dense, and we're not here for that.

Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with just a few wet crumbs.

Let them cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Fill the cupcakes

Once the cupcakes and filling are both completely cool, use a small knife or a cupcake corer to cut a small opening in the top center of each cupcake.

Set aside about 2 Tablespoons of the compote...you'll be using this to make the strawberry frosting.

Spoon the fresh strawberry compote filling into each one, then replace the small piece of cake on top or just leave it off - it'll be covered by the frosting anyway.

Make the frosting

Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It will look very thick at this stage, almost like a dough.

Add 2 Tablespoons of the strawberry compote filling and vanilla and beat again. Add the heavy cream and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Frost and decorate the cupcakes

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a 1M piping tip if you have one, or just spread it on with a knife.

Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry and serve.

💫 Variations

• 🍫 Make them chocolate - Swap the vanilla cupcake base for a chocolate cupcake and fill with the same strawberry compote. Chocolate and strawberry is a classic combination for a reason.
• 🍋 Add some lemon - Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cupcake batter for a strawberry lemon version that's really good in the spring and summer.
• 🫐 Try a different filling - The compote method works just as well with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries if you want to switch things up.
• 🍓 Use jam instead - If you're short on time, a good quality strawberry jam works as a filling in a pinch. It won't have the same fresh flavor as the homemade compote, but it gets the job done.
• 🧁 Change up the frosting - Not a fan of buttercream? A cream cheese frosting with a couple spoonfuls of strawberry compote stirred in is really good too.
• 🌱 Make it dairy free - Swap the butter for a plant-based alternative, use oat milk instead of regular milk, and use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream.

🍽️ Serving suggestions

These cupcakes are great for birthdays, baby showers, spring parties, or honestly just a Tuesday. Serve them at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

If you want to get a little extra with the presentation, add a fresh strawberry on top of each one right before serving and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

🧺 Storage

Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The filling and frosting both contain fresh strawberries, so they need to stay cold. Let them sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens up a bit.

You can also freeze the unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in a zip-lock bag. Thaw at room temperature and then fill and frost before serving.

👩‍🍳 Pro tips

• 🍓 Make the filling first so it has plenty of time to cool before you need it.
• 🧈 Make sure your butter is truly at room temperature before creaming. Cold butter won't incorporate properly and you'll end up with a lumpy batter.
• 🧁 Don't overfill the cupcake liners. Two thirds full is the sweet spot. Too full and they'll overflow, too little and you'll end up with flat cupcakes.
• ❄️ Make sure both the cupcakes and the filling are completely cool before filling. Warm filling in a warm cupcake is a melty mess.
• 🔪 A cupcake corer makes the filling process a lot easier and more uniform. A small paring knife works too.
• 🍓 Save a little extra compote for drizzling over the frosting right before serving. It looks great and adds even more strawberry flavor.
• 🎂 A 1M piping tip gives you that classic swirled bakery look. If you don't have one, a large round tip or even a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off works fine.

❓ FAQ

Do you love strawberry sweets as much as I do? Check out a few more of my favorites:

• Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes
• Strawberry Simple Syrup
• Strawberry Shortcake Waffles
• Strawberry Cocktail/Mocktail

Did you make these Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting? Let us know in the comments below!

📝 Recipe