These light, spongy Strawberry Cupcakes are finished with a full-bodied, to-die-for Strawberry and Vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream. It’s the perfect frosting for a perfectly strawberry dessert.
I was waxing poetic about fall flavors, but I couldn’t stop making berry desserts just because the calendar turned to October. These strawberry cupcakes were made for a baby shower, and honestly, some occasions demand pink and strawberry.
I’m not usually a frilly-pink person, but I’d picked up some adorable cupcake wrappers and held onto them waiting for the right event. A baby girl shower seemed perfect, and a moist strawberry cake in those wrappers was the obvious choice.
I topped the cupcakes with either vanilla or strawberry Italian meringue buttercream. Italian meringue buttercream is my favorite because it’s light with a silky, slightly melting texture and an intensely clean flavor that’s not overly sweet.
I originally planned to top each cupcake with Strawberry Whoppers for a nostalgic touch, but they proved impossible to find. In the end I made tiny fondant balls, dusted them with luster dust, and they looked even sweeter than candy would have.
At the shower I served the cupcakes with strawberry milk and pink-and-white striped straws. It was almost unbearably cute. Strawberry milk is hardly a health food—think lots of color and sugar—but it makes a memorable, photograph-ready addition to a dessert table.
One issue I ran into: the cupcakes shrank and pulled away from the wrappers as they cooled. Because I used extra-sturdy, tall cups and covered them with frosting, it wasn’t a problem. If you plan to use standard paper liners, consider omitting fresh puree from the batter and relying on powdered strawberry gelatin for flavor. That yields a less moist batter and reduces the chance of shrinking. If you still want a pronounced strawberry flavor, you can spoon a bit of strawberry jam into the cooled cupcake centers.
More Strawberry Recipes You’ll Love
Collection: Strawberry Dessert Recipes And Ideas (curated)
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Strawberry Sauce
- Strawberry Crisp
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cakes
- Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake
- Strawberry Rose Tarts
Strawberry Buttercream
Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake
Strawberry Cupcakes With Vanilla and Strawberry Italian Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 oz powdered strawberry gelatin (such as Jell‑O)
- 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree, strained of seeds
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup water
- 14 oz granulated sugar (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 12 oz unsalted butter (about 3 sticks), slightly softened but still cool
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree, strained of seeds
- Pink gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin tins with 24 paper liners.
- Whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the granulated sugar, powdered strawberry gelatin, and butter on medium-high with the paddle until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating about a minute after each.
- Combine the vanilla and milk in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the milk mixture, then continue alternating until all dry and liquid are incorporated, finishing with the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the strained strawberry puree just until combined. Fill liners two-thirds full and bake for 20–25 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool completely at room temperature before frosting.
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- Place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. In a small saucepan combine the water and sugar and heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook with a candy thermometer until 245°F.
- Start whipping the egg whites when the syrup approaches temperature, adding the cream of tartar once the whites look foamy. Beat until stiff peaks form but not dry.
- With the mixer on medium-high, slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl into the whipped whites. Continue to beat until the bowl feels barely warm, 20–30 minutes.
- Once cooled, add the butter a little at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. The mixture may deflate and look soupy; keep mixing until it becomes smooth and silky. If it resists coming together, chill briefly and then continue to beat.
- Mix in vanilla. To flavor the entire batch strawberry, fold in all the strawberry puree and a drop of pink gel color if desired. Alternatively, divide and flavor part of the buttercream.
- Store the frosting at room temperature for a few days, up to two weeks in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer. If chilled, return to room temperature and re-beat before using.
Measuring Tips
These recipes were developed using weight measurements, and a kitchen scale will give the most consistent results. Volume measurements are provided, but note that weight and volume conversions are not always exact.
Nutrition
Calories: 380 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 12 g
Cholesterol: 79 mg | Sodium: 292 mg | Potassium: 133 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 34 g
Vitamin A: 645 IU | Vitamin C: 5.7 mg | Calcium: 48 mg | Iron: 1 mg