Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes (with whipped cream)
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.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
For the filling:
- 1 cup whole fresh strawberries about 4.5 ounces
- 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 cupcake liners) or butter/spray them.
For the cake:
- Beat 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, for 20 seconds in a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add 1 cup white granulated 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 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Sift the dry ingredients (2 ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt) together in a bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the egg batter.
- Add them in 2 parts, alternating with ¼ cup milk and 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 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 1 cup whole fresh strawberries. Do this once you have the cupcakes cooled and are ready to assemble them.
- Cut them into little pieces, mix with ½ tablespoon granulated white sugar and reserve.
For the topping:
- Put 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons cream cheese in a medium or large mixing bowl.
- Add 3 tablespoons powdered 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).
- Whipped cream can curdle very quickly when overbeaten. 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 hard to overbeat 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. Use a mellon baller, a small spoon or a 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, completely covering the berries. Finish with 6 to 12 whole fresh strawberries, halved or whole, on top of the whipped cream.
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look 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 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.
Beating: If using the stand mixer with the whisk attachment for the topping, beat at low speed, especially towards the end to avoid curdling. Whipped cream can curdle very quickly when overbeaten. To prevent 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 hard to overbeat cream by hand.
Dry or dense cupcakes can happen if you overmix the batter, bake the cupcakes for too long, or use too much flour. Measure dry ingredients correctly, avoid overmixing the batter after adding the flour, and remove from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean.
Avoid soggy cupcakes: don’t overfill them with the strawberry filling, and assemble them a few hours before serving for best results.
Make ahead: the cupcakes can be kept for up to 3 days at room temperature and up to a month in the freezer, always well covered or in an airtight container to avoid dryness. The cream can be whipped, put in the piping bag and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.
