Easy Strawberry Filled Cupcakes

These strawberry filled cupcakes are heavenly! They’re soft and moist with a light and creamy vanilla frosting that tastes like whipped cream!

I've been meaning to make a new recipe with fresh strawberries for a while, so I developed this recipe from my classic vanilla cupcake recipe! Delicious filled strawberry cupcakes!

Love fresh fruit desserts? Why not try my Lemon Pomegranate Cake, Streusel Top Apple Muffins, or my Apple Rose Tart with Dulce de Leche. Have you ever tried a dessert with fresh pumpkin? Try these Kolokithopita Greek Pumpkin Hand Pies that have been handed down to me from my Yiayia! They’re made with fresh pumpkin!

What makes these cupcakes with strawberry filling really stand out, though, is the delicious ermine frosting (aka flour frosting). Ermine frosting is A LOT LESS SWEET than traditional buttercream frosting! Actually, it's PERFECT with the strawberry filling!

So, if you're looking for easy, delicious vanilla cupcakes with strawberry filling, you've come to the right place!

Why this recipe works

• It’s simple. Nothing fancy, just a hand mixer! Plus, I have a really easy hack for filling the cupcakes without using a cupcake corer or a knife!
• It makes 12 cupcakes. This recipe doesn’t have any extra batter and so it's just right for a standard cupcake pan!
• It has a no-fuss strawberry filling. This filling is delicious! Moreover, it's also fuss-free because there is NO cooking involved and it only has 2 ingredients!
• It’s perfect for strawberry lovers. If you look forward to strawberry season like I do, these cupcakes are wonderful!
• Great for any occasion. These cupcakes are fantastic for parties, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or any get-together! Honestly, though, you don't need a special occasion to make these cupcakes!

What do these strawberry filled cupcakes taste like?

OMG! These cupcakes! They are DIVINE! They actually taste somewhat like mini strawberry shortcakes! And, they are filled with fresh strawberries and jam and topped with luscious vanilla frosting called ermine frosting. As a result, the cupcakes are not overly sweet. In fact, the frosting is SO incredibly light, it tastes like whipped cream!

What is ermine frosting?

Ermine frosting (aka flour frosting) is an old-fashioned recipe made by cooking milk, flour and sugar together to make a pudding base, which is then cooled and beaten with butter. As a result, this frosting is A LOT LESS SWEET than classic buttercream frosting and there is NO GRITTINESS. To me, it tastes very much like whipped cream, which is why I decided to use it for this recipe. This frosting is PHENOMENAL with these strawberry filled cupcakes!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

• Strawberries: I use fresh strawberries.
• Strawberry jam: I use my own homemade strawberry jam that you can find here, but you could use store-bought, if you want.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
• Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own using whole milk mixed with vinegar (I’ll include it in the recipe card).
• Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract.
• Egg: You only need one egg for this recipe.
• Oil: I use light vegetable oil to help make the cupcakes moist.
• Butter: I use unsalted butter room temperature .
• Sugar: You just need regular, granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Baking powder: It helps the cupcakes rise.
• Salt: As always, it enhances all the flavors.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

First, start off by making the cupcakes.

STEP 1

Line your pan with cupcake liners.

STEP 2

Next, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.

STEP 3
Then in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it's creamy. Using room temperature butter makes this step a lot easier!

STEP 4
Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

STEP 5
After that, add the buttermilk and oil and mix until everything is fully combined.

STEP 6
Then add the flour mixture and mix until JUST combined. Don't overmix it.

STEP 7
Fill the cupcake liners with the batter, a little over halfway full. I like using a measuring cup (¼ cup), but you could also use a cookie scoop or just a spoon.

STEP 8
Finally, bake the cupcakes and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Next, make the strawberry ermine frosting.

STEP 1
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour, sugar, milk and salt.

STEP 2
Then heat it over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. You’ll see bubbles on the top, too. Keep cooking for 1-2 minutes more.

STEP 3
Afterwards, take the saucepan off the heat and pour the mixture into a small bowl.

STEP 4
Immediately cover the pudding mixture with some plastic wrap, touching the surface so that a crust won't form on the top. Then set it aside to cool completely.

TOP TIPS FOR COOLING THE PUDDING BASE

The pudding base needs to cool COMPLETELY before moving to the next step. Otherwise you’ll get a whole bunch of ugly lumps in your frosting!

To cool the pudding base faster, you can spread it out onto a baking sheet and then cover it with plastic wrap.

STEP 5
After the pudding based has cooled completely, beat the butter for about 7-8 minutes. You really need to beat the butter well for this frosting!

STEP 6
Then take a tablespoon of the pudding base and add it to the butter. Mix it really well so that everything is incorporated.

STEP 7
Repeat, adding some pudding base, ONE tablespoon at a time, until it’s all incorporated into the butter.

STEP 8
After that, add the vanilla extract and the strawberry jam and mix well. I wouldn’t add too much jam, though, because the frosting could curdle. Also, make sure to scrape the bowl as needed so that everything is blended together.

Then you make the strawberry filling and fill the cupcakes.

STEP 1
Next, wash and dice the strawberries. I like to put them in a sieve for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.

STEP 2
Then put the diced strawberries in a small bowl and stir in the jam.

After that, it's time to fill the cupcakes!

HOW TO FILL A CUPCAKE WITHOUT A CORER

STEPS 3-5
Make a small hole in the cupcakes by using the back of a balloon whisk! Gently press it into the cupcake to make the hole. Be careful not to press too hard, though, or it’ll go all the way to the bottom!

If you don't have a balloon whisk, use your thumb. You may have to wiggle your thumb around a bit to make a hole, but it works just fine! Or you could use another similar kitchen utensil to make a small hole.

STEP 6-7
Then, fill the cupcakes. I add about a teaspoon of the filling inside each cupcake.

STEP 8

After that, you frost the cupcakes! I love using my Wilton 1M tip for pretty swirls! Of course, you can frost them without using a piping bag. Just use a knife to spread the frosting on the cupcakes.

Storage Tips
You can store these cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to about 3 days. Make sure you put them in an airtight container so that they stay fresh.

Variations & Toppings

• Instead of strawberry ermine frosting, you can also frost these cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting from this recipe or delicious maple cream cheese frosting from my cinnamon cupcakes recipe! Keep in mind, though, that the cupcakes will be sweeter than the ones in this recipe.
• Whipped cream would also be amazing with these cupcakes if you don't want to make any frosting!
• You could also make strawberry filled chocolate cupcakes! I have an amazing classic chocolate cupcakes recipe here! Strawberry and chocolate are great together!
• Play around with different garnishes! For example, top these cupcakes with some sliced strawberries, chopped nuts, or even grated chocolate!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• For accuracy, I suggest using a digital scale to weigh the ingredients before you start.
• Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. I usually leave them out for about an hour or so before starting.
• Ermine frosting is best eaten right after you make it. I found that it doesn't have the same texture the next day.
• Don't overmix the batter because this will make the cupcakes dense and flat.
• Try not to overfill the cupcake liners or the batter overflow and make an ugly mess in the oven! That's why I use a ¼ measuring cup to fill them a little over halfway full.
• Overbaking the cupcakes can make them dry. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on them so that they don't overbake.
• If you store these cupcakes with the frosting in the refrigerator, make sure you take them out about 1-2 hours before serving. The frosting is PERFECT when it’s at room temperature.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Happy baking! 😊

~Voula

MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES

Let me know how these Strawberry Filled Cupcakes turn out for you in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!