Let me present to you the most amazing cupcakes that taste just like a shortcake! It took me a long time to get to the perfect vanilla cake that was dense but not heavy, tasted more like a sweet biscuit than a fluffy cake, and was sturdy enough to be filled and frosted. A fantastic recipe you'll want to make often.
Berry season is upon us, and that means it's time for new strawberry recipes.
This is one recipe that has been in the making for several weeks, or months really. I wanted to have a more portable option of a strawberry shortcake recipe which has to be served on plates and eaten with a proper fork.
My grandmother's Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie was the inspiration. It has similar flavors but it's an easier recipe to put together that you can eat with your hands. A shortcake in cupcake form.
It's a great recipe for mother's day brunch, Valentine’s day, a small wedding, a baby shower, and birthdays.
Why this recipe works
- Fresh and delicious. Yes, what better reason to make these than the fact that the combination of vanilla cupcakes, whipped cream and fresh strawberries is amazing, right?
- Make ahead. Both the cupcakes and the whipped cream can be made in advance.
- Easy to put together. With two of the three components made ahead, you can put together these shortcake cupcakes in little time.
- Crowd-pleaser. I've yet to find someone who doesn't like them. I don't particularly like cream and I devoured them!
- On the go. You don't need plates and forks. Just some napkins (it will get a bit messy!) and you're good to eat these cakes.
The cupcakes
Ingredients
This is a lighter pound cake batter. It won't be as dense as the old-fashioned one but also won't be like very fluffy vanilla cupcakes. We need this cupcake recipe to be sturdier to accommodate the filling. And because the biscuits for traditional shortcake are not spongy.
- Vanilla: I like to use pure vanilla paste because I feel it has more flavor than the extract (liquid). But any good brand of pure extract works.
- Butter: the recipe calls for unsalted butter, the best brand you can afford.
- Eggs: fresh ones are always recommended.
- Sugar: we use white, granulated but know that light brown sugar can also be used. The cake will have a darker, beige hue.
- Milk: whole milk is recommended for a richer cake.
- Flour: all purpose flour or cake flour, both work well.
- Baking powder: always make sure it's fresh and active. Old baking powder tends to have less strength and we need it to help the cake rise as it should.
- Salt: it elevates the other ingredients. I like to use kosher salt.
How to make the cupcakes
This is a butter cake, similar to a pound cake, so the batter is pretty straightforward for this type of cake (like the Basic Vanilla Butter Cake for example).
- Creaming: butter and sugar are creamed and this should take several minutes. This process incorporates air that is needed to help the cake rise well in the oven.
- Sifting the flour mixture: I find this to be an essential step with layer cakes (image below, left). It builds on the creaming step above to help the batter do its thing in the oven and get us the best result possible.
- Scraping sides of bowl: do this several times (image below, right) to ensure that the batter is integrated as evenly as possible.
- Filling the pan: this is a cake batter that will dome when it rises, and I recommend filling it no more than ¾ of the muffin tins capacity to ensure you don't have huge cupcakes that will be messy to eat after the filling and frosting are added.
Filling & topping
Fresh strawberries
They're essential to making a strawberry filling with a fresh flavor, so don't use frozen ones.
How to store them: I find that they keep well whole for several days. So wash and cut the stems at the last minute. If they're very fresh they do keep for a day in the refrigerator after the stem is cut, but I'd rather do it at the last minute.
Whipped cream frosting
This is my favorite cream frosting and it used a few tablespoons of cream cheese for a firmer result. I find that the flavor is amazing and it keeps well and makes piping easier with this extra ingredient.
You can find the whole recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Assembly
- Strawberries: cut them in bite-size pieces, small ones. You want most bites to have a taste of fresh berries and not eat them all at once because the pieces are so large. They are mixed with a little sugar before filling the cupcakes and that will make them start to release liquid. This will make a moister and tastier filling.
- Cream topping: I recommend a piping bag (also called a pastry bag) with a simple tip. You don't need to be good at it, I know it's not my strong thing. You can pile the cream with a spoon if that's all you have but it doesn't hold as well in my experience.
Melon scooper: this is what I use to scoop the tops of the baked cupcakes (metal gadget in the image below) and make a sort of nest to be filled with strawberries (or other types of filling). It's super easy to use. It's easily available online and the links are in the Notes section of the recipe card.
Serving
I recommend serving the finished cupcakes within the first 2 hours of assembling them because they'll still be fresh but not soggy. Always keep them refrigerated after adding the cream topping.
Make ahead
This is a great recipe to bake in advance.
- The cupcakes can be kept up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer, always well wrapped (all my tips in the Freezer Baking & Desserts Guide post).
- The cream can be whipped, put in the piping bag and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Creaming: butter and sugar are creamed and this should take several minutes. This process incorporates air that is needed to help the cake rise well in the oven.
- Sifting: I find this to be an essential step with layer cakes. It builds on the creaming step above to help the batter do its thing in the oven and get us the best result possible.
- Filling the pan: this is a cake batter that will dome when it bakes, and I recommend filling it no more than ¾ of the muffin tins capacity to ensure you don't have huge cupcakes that will be messy to eat after the filling and frosting are added. Or the batter overflowing while it bakes.
- Strawberries: you can make a larger hole that holds more strawberries. Just keep in mind that cupcakes are eaten with our hands.
- Topping: I recommend you wait until the last minute to add it. If eating these outside on a hot day, keep them in the fridge as long as possible before serving them without the strawberries on top. Add them at the last minute.
Enjoy the sunny days and eat deliciously!
Related recipes you might like:
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The BEST Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Let me present to you the most amazing cupcakes that taste just like a shortcake! It took me a long time to get to the perfect vanilla cake that was dense but not heavy, tasted more like a sweet biscuit than a fluffy cake, and was sturdy enough to be filled and frosted. A fantastic recipe you'll want to make often.
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste)
- ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
For the filling:
- 1 cup (about 4.5 ounces) whole fresh strawberries
- ½ tablespoon granulated white sugar
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream), cold
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 6 to 12 whole fresh strawberries, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners (paper cups) or butter/spray them.
For the cake:
- Beat soft butter for 20 seconds in a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add sugar gradually while you continue beating, and mix for 3 minutes after adding all of it. The mixture should be light in color, fluffy, and the sugar will have partially dissolved.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder) together in a bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the egg batter.
- Add them in 2 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla in 1 part. That means you start and end with the dry ingredients.
- Mix and integrate the batter well, but don't beat much at this point. After adding the flour cake batters should not be beaten too much as it will develop gluten and toughen the baked cake.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins. I use a large cookie scoop, it's easier to use the same amount of batter for each cupcake.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until they rise, the tops crack a little and a tester inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. They are dense so make sure they're fully baked. You might need some more minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting.
For the filling:
- Wash, dry, and stem the strawberries. Do this once you have the cupcakes cooled and are ready to assemble them.
- Cut them into little pieces, mix with the sugar and reserve.
For the topping:
- Put the heavy cream and cream cheese in a medium or large mixing bowl.
- Add sugar and beat with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until firm peaks (stiff peaks) form, it will take about 4-5 minutes, depending on the speed of your beaters and the size of the bowl (smaller bowls take longer).
- Beating: if using the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat at low speed, especially towards the end so you don't curdle the topping. I use an electric hand held mixer for this reason.
- Important: whipped cream can curdle very quickly when over beaten. To avoid this, I always beat it at medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form, lower the speed to medium and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form. Then, I finish beating by hand with a whisk until I get stiff peaks. It takes a bit of arm muscle, but it's very hard to over beat cream by hand.
- Put into a piping bag with a star or smooth tip and refrigerate until ready to add to cupcakes.
To assemble:
- Scoop the top center of each cupcake. I use OXO One-size melon baller, which makes it super easy. But you can use a spoon or small paring knife.
- Fill the scooped center of the cupcake with strawberries, mounding just a little. Repeat until all are filled.
- Pipe whipped cream on top, covering the berries completely.
- Finish with a half or whole strawberry on top of the whipped cream. If using plates and you have strawberry topping around, you can use that instead of fresh berries. It will probably drip down, so it's best not to eat them with your hands.
Notes
Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Creaming: butter and sugar are creamed and this should take several minutes. This process incorporates air that is needed to help the cake rise well in the oven.
Filling the pan: this is a cake batter that will dome when it bakes, and I recommend filling it no more than ¾ of the muffin tins capacity to ensure you don't have huge cupcakes that will be messy to eat after the filling and frosting are added. Or the batter overflowing while it bakes.
Scooper: I love to use a mellon baller that can be purchased online.
Strawberries: cut them in bite-size pieces, small ones. You want most bites to have a taste of fresh berries and not eat them all at once because the pieces are so large. You can make a larger hole that holds more strawberries. Just keep in mind that cupcakes are eaten with our hands.
Cream topping: I recommend a piping bag and there are very easy ways you can pipe it. You don't need to be good at it, I know it's not my strong thing. You can pile the cream with a spoon if that's all you have but it doesn't hold as well in my experience. If eating these outside on a hot day, keep them in the fridge as long as possible before serving them without the strawberries on top. Add them at the last minute.
Storing: the cupcakes can be kept up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer, always well wrapped. The cream can be whipped, put in the piping bag and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cooling time: 90
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: strawberry shortcake cupcakes
Carla says
I see where you listed the vanilla for the cake but can't see to see where you add it in the directions. I just added it in the end but almost left it out! Maybe I missed it as I had the birthday girl helping me make her cupcakes. Looking forward to tasting these!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Carla, you add it with the milk. Happy baking!
Sheila Gilbert says
What’s the cooking temperature? Preheat oven?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sheila, the oven needs to be preheated at 350°F.
angiesrecipes says
They are one of the best spring desserts! The cake itself looks soft and tender and with sweet juicy berries and creamy frosting...they are just unbeatable.
Paula Montenegro says
I agree Angie! Have a great weekend my friend.