A favorite spring and summer dessert in hand-held form, these vanilla bean-speckled strawberry shortcake cupcakes are filled with homemade strawberry filling and topped with strawberry whipped cream—all made with real strawberries. It’s like eating strawberry shortcake, but as a buttery soft cupcake!
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I also made some small improvements to the recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below.
3 Parts to Love in These Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
- Vanilla Bean Cupcakes: Instead of biscuits like classic strawberry shortcake, the base of this summery treat is a soft and light vanilla cupcake, flavored with pure vanilla bean paste. My strawberry vanilla crisp also pairs strawberry + vanilla together—what a delightful duo!
- Strawberry Filling: You’ll fill the cupcakes with a jam-like strawberry filling, which comes together easily on the stove, just like this raspberry cake filling.
- Strawberry Whipped Cream: No piping tips needed to top these strawberry shortcake cupcakes! I’m giving homemade whipped cream a berry boost by folding in some of the reserved strawberry filling. It’s quick and easy to make, and so very tasty.
One reader, Vicki, commented: “I offered to make my neighbor cupcakes for her birthday and she requested something light and not too sweet. This recipe seemed perfect and she said they were the best cupcakes she’s ever had in her life! I absolutely love the whipped topping and think the leftover amount would be great on pancakes or waffles. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Will definitely make it again! ★★★★★“
Make the Strawberry Filling First
Grab These Ingredients:
- Fresh Strawberries: You need about 2 cups (about 300–320g) of diced strawberries.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar to sweeten the berry filling.
- Cornstarch + Water: Cornstarch is the thickener for this filling. Mix together with water to make a “slurry” before adding to the saucepan. Otherwise you’ll have lumps of powdery cornstarch in your strawberry filling—no thanks!
- Lemon Zest: After making several batches of these crowd-pleasing cupcakes, I decided to add a little lemon zest to the filling. WOW. It really, really brightens up the flavor. I use it in the topping for this strawberry cream cheese pie, too.
The filling mixture thickens on the stove and is comparable to a sweet and thick homemade strawberry jam with a few glorious chunks of real strawberry. It’s a lot like this strawberry sauce topping, only thicker because we’re using it inside cupcakes.
Make it first, so it has time to completely cool and set up/thicken before you need it to fill the cupcakes.
Next, Make the Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Here’s What You Need & Why:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this cupcake batter.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These leavening agents give the cupcakes lift.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer/sweetness balancer.
- Melted Butter: Using melted butter instead of softened butter means you don’t need a mixer to make these wonderfully soft cupcakes. I also appreciate that you can really taste that buttery flavor, something you don’t always get in a cupcake recipe using creamed butter or oil. That’s why I use melted butter in snickerdoodle cupcakes, too.
- Egg Whites: Using just the whites of the eggs makes for the lightest, fluffiest vanilla cake crumb… something you’ll also enjoy in my favorite white cake recipe.
- Sour Cream: This keeps the cupcakes moist. Plain yogurt works as a fine substitute.
- Milk: Whole milk makes for the best taste and texture, but lower-fat or nondairy can work in a pinch.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: You could just use vanilla extract if that’s all you have, but I highly recommend giving these cupcakes a flavor upgrade with some pure vanilla bean paste. You can usually find it next to the vanilla extract in the grocery store baking aisle, or you can order it online.
Or if you happen to have a vanilla bean (an extra one leftover from making homemade vanilla extract, perhaps?), you can scrape the seeds from half a bean, and add along with vanilla extract, just like when making my regular vanilla cupcakes. You can also add vanilla bean seeds to the whipped cream. See recipe Note below.
The process for making these cupcakes is straightforward. Whisk together dry ingredients, whisk together wet ingredients, and then combine the two.
Success Tip: Don’t Overfill
You’ll have enough batter for 15 cupcakes, so line a standard 12-cup muffin pan and then a second one with 3 more cupcake liners. Fill the liners just 2/3 of the way full. Don’t try to fit all the batter into 12 cups—the cupcakes will spill over the sides when baking, and you’ll have a big sloppy mess. (Besides, if you serve a dozen cupcakes, no one will have any idea there were 3 extra cupcakes that somehow went missing… that can be our little secret.)
Filling These Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
When your cupcakes and filling are both completely cool, it’s time to fill them. Before you start, set aside 1/2 cup of the filling to use in the strawberry whipped cream topping.
We’re using the same method I use to fill these cream-filled chocolate cupcakes and lemon raspberry jam cupcakes, and it’s a piece of [short]cake.
With a sharp knife, cut a circle in the cupcake and remove the center, which will be roughly the shape of a cone. Using a small spoon, fill the middle of the cupcake with as much cooled strawberry filling as you can. (Usually between 1–2 teaspoons.) Slice/tear off the pointed tip of the cone-shaped piece of cupcake, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling.
If you need extra help with this step, see my How to Fill Cupcakes tutorial and video.
It doesn’t have to look pretty, because you’ll top the cupcakes with a fluffy cloud of strawberry whipped cream. I don’t recommend using a piping bag/tip to fill the cupcakes, because the filling is pretty thick and chunky.
Homemade Strawberry Whipped Cream
Now you’re in the home stretch! Of the 3 parts to this recipe, making the strawberry whipped cream topping is the quickest and easiest. It’s similar to my classic homemade whipped cream, but we’re folding in the reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling for a little more flavor, color, and texture. I love the little chunks of strawberry hiding in the light pink whipped cream.
Pile the strawberry whipped cream on top of the filled cupcakes, and, for a finishing touch, I like to add a couple of strawberry slices. You will LOVE these!
Can I Make These As a Cake?
Absolutely, and I already have a separate recipe for strawberry shortcake cake. For a layer cake, use my white cake recipe, and today’s strawberry filling. Fill the cooled cake layers with most of the strawberry filling, and save some to fold into the whipped cream. There is plenty of whipped cream for the exterior of the layer cake.
More Favorite Strawberry Dessert Recipes
- Strawberry Cake
- Pistachio Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Strawberry Shortcake & Strawberry Shortcake Cake
And for even more summertime dessert inspiration, head over to my list of 25+ desserts for a BBQ cookout.
Print
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 15 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You’re looking at 100% homemade strawberry shortcake, but in cupcake form! Homemade strawberry filling joins vanilla bean cupcakes and berry-speckled whipped cream to create an epic treat that’s perfectly fit for spring and summertime. Prepare the strawberry filling first so it has time to cool and thicken before using. Review recipe Notes before beginning.
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (11g) cornstarch
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (23ml) warm water
- 2 cups (about 300g) diced strawberries
- 6 Tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Cupcakes
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 egg whites*
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt*
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract, see Note)*
Strawberry Whipped Cream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract, see Note)*
- reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling
- optional for garnish: strawberry slices and fresh mint
Instructions
- Make the strawberry filling first: Using a fork, mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until the cornstarch has dissolved—mixture is thick. Warm the strawberries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture as it cooks, and break up some of the strawberries as you stir. Bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. After 5 minutes, remove from heat, stir in the lemon zest, and cool completely. You will have about 1 and 1/4 cup (about 340g) of strawberry filling. The filling thickens as it cools. (It must completely cool, so transferring to a bowl out of the saucepan helps speed that up, as does refrigerating it. You can complete a few other steps in the recipe as the mixture cools.)
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 15 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 3 cupcake liners, or bake in batches.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together. Mixture will be gritty. Whisk in the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla bean paste/extract until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is completely combined. Batter should be creamy and mostly smooth; a few small lumps are OK.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 15 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be completely cooled before filling and topping.
- Fill the cupcakes: First, set aside 1/2 cup (120g) of the filling for the whipped cream topping. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you removed will be sort of cone-shaped. Spoon some of the cooled and thickened strawberry filling inside each carved-out cupcake—use however much will fit. (I use a teaspoon for this. Usually you can fit between 1–2 teaspoons of filling in each.) Slice/tear off the pointy end of the “cone” piece of cupcake you removed, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling. See my How to Fill Cupcakes post if you need extra visuals or help with this step.
- Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste/extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks, and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts. If you accidentally over-whip the cream, and it looks curdled and heavy, pour in a little bit more cold heavy cream, and fold it in gently by hand with a spatula until it smooths out. Fold in the reserved 1/2 cup of strawberry filling. Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. I used an icing spatula, but a knife works just fine. I pile the whipped cream on really high as pictured, and you can certainly do the same! You may have some leftover if you don’t use as much on each cupcake. Garnish cupcakes with sliced strawberries and/or fresh mint.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cover and store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Bake the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature and fill/frost the day of serving. You can make the strawberry filling and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days before using. Likewise, you can make the strawberry whipped cream and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before using. Unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before assembling and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Vanilla Bean Paste | Small Icing Spatula | Cupcake Carrier
- Update in 2023: This recipe was originally published in 2013. Over the years, I made some subtle improvements. The filling used to call for 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar, and I found it was simply too sweet. I also added lemon zest to the filling, to help brighten up the flavor. The cupcakes now use 1 teaspoon of baking powder, instead of 1/2 teaspoon. They rise a little taller and taste a bit fluffier now.
- Can I Use Frozen Strawberries? Frozen strawberries work in a pinch, but the filling holds MUCH better shape when using fresh strawberries. I strongly recommend using fresh. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry before starting.
- Egg Whites: It’s best to use only egg whites in this cupcake recipe because they will ensure that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. If needed, you can use 1 full egg instead. Keep in mind the texture of the cupcake will change.
- Sour Cream & Whole Milk: Sour cream and whole milk are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead of sour cream, though the cupcakes may not be as light. Same goes with a lower-fat milk (I don’t recommend nonfat). Nondairy milk works in a pinch. You can replace both the whole milk and sour cream with buttermilk (1 cup/240ml) if needed.
- Vanilla: I love using vanilla bean paste in the cupcakes and whipped cream because it combines both extract AND vanilla bean seeds. You can, of course use pure vanilla extract instead. If using vanilla extract, and if you want that extra vanilla bean flavor, feel free to add the seeds scraped from 1/2 of a vanilla bean in the cupcake batter, and use the seeds from the other half of the vanilla bean in the whipped cream. (This is in addition to the liquid vanilla extract.)
- Can I Make This Into a Cake? Absolutely, and I already have a separate recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cake. For a layer cake, use my white cake recipe, and today’s strawberry filling. Fill the cooled cake layers with most of the strawberry filling, and save some to fold into the whipped cream. There is plenty of whipped cream for the exterior of the layer cake.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Made these the other day for a summer birthday celebration! The jammy filling was delicious, and I really enjoyed the lighter whipped cream topping – a nice alternative to buttercream. I wanted slightly less sugar in the recipe, so I only used 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup for the cupcakes, and used 2 tsp of sugar in the icing instead of 3 tbsp. They turned out perfect!
Great Recipe! My husband requested a strawberry shortcake cupcake, I found this recipe and so glad I did, it’s a new staple, especially for strawberry season! It’s really not sweet like a typical cupcake but is light and so refreshing. I added half a box of instant white chocolate pudding mix to the icing to make it more stable at room temp and it came out great. He took the left overs at work and they were gone before lunchtime!
These cupcakes were possibly the best I’ve ever had. The texture of the cake itself was perfect, and the filling and topping were just delicious. Most of mine were completely baked at 15 minutes, but a couple needed 1 extra minute.
I’d like to make this a six inch cake. Would you recommend this cake recipe or the vanilla cake you have in your 6 inch cake post? Thanks!
Hi Anna, either would work just fine!
Such a good recipe, delicious and so pretty. Thanks for sharing
Best cupcakes ever. I love making cupcakes and this is the best recipe I’ve found. Perfect balance of sweetness and brightness. These will definitely be in regular summer rotation in my house.
Delicious! We are big strawberry shortcake people…usually using fresh strawberries with a hint of maple syrup…but this cooked “jam” with the lemon…So Good! Thank you for sharing and for the updates! So perfect for summer!
Can homemade strawberry jam be used for the strawberry whipped cream? ( I have a bunch of jars I need to use up).
Hi Tamisyn, you can certainly use the homemade jam for the filling, but depending on the exact consistency, it may be a bit too thin for the whipped cream—but you can certainly give it a go. Let us know if you do give it a try.
I love all your recipes Sally. You are the only baker I follow.
For this recipe does the sour cream need to be full fat or will low fat work?
Hi Linda! Full fat sour cream is highly recommended for best results.
Really delicious! I got several compliments today on these cupcakes. They tasted just like strawberry shortcake and the strawberry whipped cream was so good! I did a stabilized whipped cream since it is hot and humid, and also piped it on top to make them pretty. Great recipe!
What if I used blueberries instead? Do you think it would still work the same? I assume so but…
Hi Justine, we haven’t tried this recipe with blueberries, but let us know how it turns out if you do!
Thank you for the best tasting cupcake ever! I made these strawberry cupcakes for a brunch and they turned out amazing!!
If I make a strawberry buttercream instead of the whipping cream frosting, do the cupcakes still need to be refrigerated or is the filling ok at room temperature?
Hi Angie, the cupcakes will be okay at room temperature for a few hours while serving, but otherwise we still recommend refrigerating.
Made them to take to a luncheon. But it’s in 2 days so not sure if the whipped cream will still be good.
Did it work out well? I want to do the same but I’m not sure.
I loved this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing. I was never able to eat store bought cakes or treats due to them tasting too sweet and feeling too heavy. I made these for my daughters birthday and they were a huge hit.
Delicious Summer Treat!
The cupcake is light and delicious, the strawberry filling is bright and fresh, and the strawberry whipped cream tops it off and makes it a delightful dessert!
I have made this twice now…so good! I love the jam filling. You are right…the lemon brings the flavour up so much. Delicious!! Thank you!
I made this twice last summer and everyone loved it.
My cupcakes were a bit dry. The cake for the one layer strawberry shortcake much lighter. Where did I go wrong? I used the wider side of a 1A piping tube instead of knife to make space for the filling.
Hi Nancy, were they over baked by chance? Even just an extra minute or two can dry out baked goods. Be sure, too, that you’re spooning and leveling (or using a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isn’t over measured. Thank you for giving these a try!
Can I freeze the strawberry filling? I have gorgeous strawberries, but I won’t be baking the cake until next week.
Hi Monica, we imagine the filling should freeze well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Enjoy!
What size cookie scoop do you use?
Can you use dried strawberries for the frosting?
Hi Sharron, for this recipe, we recommend sticking with fresh.
I don’t have vanilla bean. How much vanilla extract would you add?
Hi Sofie, you can replace the vanilla bean paste with pure vanilla extract.
I’m making this recipe later today, and I’m super excited! However, I noticed that it does not say that the milk, egg whites, and sour cream should be room temperature. Is that on purpose, or just an oversight? Should I add them to the batter cold? Thanks for the help!
Hi Kate, you’ll want the sour cream, milk, and egg whites at room temperature. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Do you think it would be worth trying these with your strawberry cupcakes instead for extra strawberry flavour?
Hi Cailyn, you definitely could!
Great recipe. I had to tweak it – I get queasy with whipped cream, so I had to add more powdered sugar (dissolves better) and extra vanilla. Also tweaked the filling – it was a little flat – instead of water to dissolve the corn starch I replaced it with equal parts kirsch and lemon juice and left out the zest. Also I applied the frosting with a pastry bag with star tip – sooo much easier and faster than a knife.
can I make the strawberry filling in advance?
Hi Ashley, you can make the strawberry filling in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days before using.
Can I substitute canned strawberry pie filling? I thought I would add a few fresh strawberries as well
Hi Dawn, that should work in a pinch. We’re unsure of how well the canned pie filling will hold up in the whipped cream, but let us know if you do give it a try.
Came out so well!!! The whipping cream
Became slightly watery so had to refrigerate
Hi! Regarding the layer cake option, would you recommend spreading the strawberry filling directly on the cake layer, or would I need to first have a thin layer of whipped cream/buttercream before adding the strawberry filling? Thank you!
Hi Alexandra, a thin layer of whipped cream/buttercream would help keep the strawberry filling in place a bit better. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Sally,
I’m making these cupcakes for a birthday party. I do have to travel about 10 minutes. Will the frosting hold up? Or should I travel with the frosting on ice and frost upon arrival?
Thank you
Hi Linda, the frosting should hold up just fine. Hope they’re a hit!