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!
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup (190 g / 6.7 oz) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 medium egg, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons light vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature (or add ½ tablespoon vinegar to half a cup of milk and stir & then let it sit for 5-8 minutes before using)
For the strawberry filling
- 6-8 large strawberries, washed and diced (to equal 1 cup diced)
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
For the strawberry ermine frosting
- 4 ½ tablespoons (35g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
- Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is creamy.
- Add the egg and the vanilla and mix well.
- Add the buttermilk and oil and mix until everything is fully combined.
- Then add the flour mixture and mix until JUST combined. Don't overmix it.
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter, a little over halfway full. (I like using a ¼ cup measuring cup.)
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When the cupcakes are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the strawberry ermine frosting
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour, sugar, milk and salt.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat and whisk continuously until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- When you start to see bubbles on the top, keep cooking for 1-2 minutes more, whisking continuously.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and pour the mixture into a small bowl or a large sheet pan (to cool faster). Immediately cover the pudding mixture with some plastic wrap, touching the surface so that a crust won't form on the top.
- After the pudding base has cooled completely, beat the butter for about 7-8 minutes.
- Take a tablespoon of the cooled pudding base and add it to the butter. Beat it really well so that everything is incorporated.
- Repeat, adding some pudding base, ONE tablespoon at a time, until it’s all incorporated into the butter.
- Add the vanilla extract and the strawberry jam and beat 1-2 minutes more. Set aside.
Make the strawberry filling & fill the cupcakes
- Wash and dice the strawberries. Put them in a sieve for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.
- Put the diced strawberries in a small bowl and stir in the jam.
- Using the back of a balloon whisk, gently press into the cupcakes to make a hole (don't press too hard, or it'll go all the way to the bottom of the cupcake). Or use your thumb to make a hole (see the photos in the post).
- Fill each cupcake with about a teaspoon of the strawberry filling.
- Then frost each cupcake using a pastry bag and tip (I use a Wilton 1M tip). Or just use a knife to spread the frosting on the cupcakes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Picture Tutorial & Tips: I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success.
- Ermine frosting is best eaten immediately after you make it. I found that it doesn't have the same texture the next day.
- Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about 3 days.
- 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.
- 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.
