Strawberry Cupcakes From Scratch…Almost

Summer is my favorite season! The weather, the long days, the fruits, the desserts! After picking a strawberry picking playdate, we had a huge stash. I gave some away, we ate some plain, and we baked a couple desserts.

I had some vanilla store bought frosting leftover that I needed to use so I made strawberry cupcakes to go with it. Now you see where the “almost” homemade from “Strawberry Cupcakes From Scratch…Almost” comes into play 😉

I am definitely not a food blogger and I don’t identify as a baker, but these strawberry cupcakes turned out so good and I had to share!

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Gather ingredients and supplies.

Firstly, gather your ingredients and tools!

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold in strawberries.

I also added the strawberry reduction at this point.

Tip: after chopping strawberries, I blot them on a paper towel and sprinkle on a tiny bit of salt to further draw out moisture. I also do this with cucumbers before adding to dishes like tzatiki sauce.

Frost and decorate as you like.

Finally, to get the store bought frosting a bit more fluffy, I used a hand mixer. I don’t own any piping tools, so my frosting application is nothing to write home about haaaaa. For a summery feel, I used bits of strawberry plant to decorate. Further down I showed one other way to decorate these yummy cupcakes.

Shop for some cupcake supplies.

Ingredient List

• 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 213g
• 1 cup granulated sugar 205g
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup butter unsalted, room temperature or melted, 176g
• ¼ cup whole milk warm, 60ml
• ¼ cup strawberry reduction strained, warm 46g
• ½ cup Greek yogurt 120mL
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 15mL
• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup fresh strawberries 70g, chopped and patted dry
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

List Of Steps

Strawberry reduction, which is tasty enough on its own and would be great over ice cream!

1. Add a cup of cut up strawberries, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a tablespoon of sugar together in a small pot.
2. Smash the berries a bit and simmer for a while to reduce.
3. Strain the mixture and cool before using. Set aside.

Cupcake batter.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Add cupcake papers to your muffin tin. I actually turn on the oven a bit later; either I am really slow or our oven warms fast.
2. Wash, dry, hull and chop the strawberries into small pieces.
3. Combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.
4. In another smaller bowl, whisk together the milk, egg whites, yogurt, butter, strawberry reduction, vanilla, and lemon zest.
5. Combine wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until just combined. If the batter is a bit lumpy, it’s okay!
6. Fold in fresh strawberry chunks then transfer batter to cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 the way up.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean. (I baked on convection setting, which took about 20 minutes)

Pin Strawberry Cupcakes From Scratch…Almost for later!

Save this recipe for later and change up the decorations for a Fourth of July party, like I show below.

Frequently asked questions about Strawberry Cupcakes From Scratch.

What can I substitute for Greek yogurt? You can use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt. Both have similar texture and will provide the desired moisture content.

Is there something else I can use instead of strawberry reduction? Definitely; try a jam. Homemade or store bought will work. You will just need to heat up and separate.

Are the leaves and flowers of strawberry plants edible? They are! However, the leaves are on the bitter side. Even the top leaves of strawberries are edible, and can be added to salads.

What type of frosting goes with strawberry cupcakes? A couple years ago I made a delicious strawberry frosting from scratch and paired with strawberry cupcakes. A vanilla buttercream, cream cheese, or whipped cream would all work too.

See you next time!

Here we are at the berry farm my friend told us about.

We went right about when the strawberry season started. If you are local or visiting close to the Snohomish, WA area, check out Bailey Farms (no affiliation; just wanted to share where we went). They grow different fruits and vegetables depending on season, and we will definitely be back again!

For another yummy summer dessert recipe that you may have never tried, check out this traditional family dish.

Check out these fun, easy ways to celebrate the Fourth of July.

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