Amazing 280 Calorie Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Oh, summer suddenly hit, right? When the berries are at their peak, there’s nothing better than capturing that classic, sweet-and-creamy taste of strawberry shortcake. But let’s be honest, slicing biscuits and dealing with messy plates? Not always my vibe after a long week! That’s why I’m obsessed with transforming that cozy dessert into these perfect, handheld strawberry shortcake cupcakes. When I first started cooking, I found joy in the simple things, and this recipe proves that incredible flavor doesn’t need complicated steps. This is pure, straightforward happiness baked into a mini cake, just waiting for you!

I want you to feel that same peace I found when making my first successful loaf of bread—the sense that you created something truly wonderful, right there in your own kitchen. If you want to read more about my journey from corporate burnout to cookie connoisseur, you can always check out my full story here. And trust me, these light and fluffy cupcakes deliver that feeling with fresh fruit and dreamy frosting.

Why These Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Are Your New Favorite Summer Berry Desserts

When it comes to seasonal baking, summer demands that things be light, bright, and easy to manage. These aren’t your heavy, dense cakes; these strawberry shortcake cupcakes are designed for maximum impact with minimum fuss. I find that when I bake for friends, ease of serving is just as important as the taste itself!

Why are these such a game-changer for summer gatherings? Well, they hit all the major notes:

• They use a truly light and fluffy cupcake base—not too sweet, just a perfect vanilla canvas.
• The interior gets a burst of real flavor from the fresh strawberry dessert recipes element hidden inside.
• They are the ultimate answer for summer berry desserts because they skip the mess!

If you’ve ever tossed a summer dessert together last minute, you know the struggle. I highly recommend checking out my recipe for an easy berry cobbler if you need another quick fruit bake, but honestly, these cupcakes are just better for serving a crowd.

The Perfect Handheld Strawberry Shortcake Inspired Baking

Forget wrestling with knives over a cake platter. These treats are built to travel right into someone’s hand. That’s why they are my go-to dessert for parties now. You get that amazing flavor profile—vanilla, cream, fresh fruit—but everyone can grab their own, no fuss required. It’s truly the best way to enjoy the classic flavors in individual form!

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Ingredients for Perfect Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Okay, deep breath. We need to get our ingredients organized before we even think about turning on the mixer. This is where many people panic, but trust me, if you have these three main groups ready to go, the rest is smooth sailing. Good ingredients make for the best homemade strawberry cupcakes, so use what you trust!

For the Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

These are the base—they need to stay incredibly tender so they can soak up just a little of that strawberry juice later on. We’re aiming for vanilla bean cupcakes from scratch perfection!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (make sure it’s actually soft, not melted!)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (this is the secret for that gorgeous specks and deep flavor!)
• 1/2 cup whole milk

For the Fresh Strawberry Filling

This step is non-negotiable for that authentic shortcake flavor. We need the fruit to start weeping a little juice while we mix the cake. Don’t skip the resting time; those magical juices are what we’re after!

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

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For the Chantilly Cream Frosting (Whipped Cream Frosting Cupcakes)

This is much lighter than a standard buttercream, which is key for keeping the overall dessert feeling fresh and summery. It’s what makes these feel like *shortcake* and not just a standard frosted cupcake!

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Alright, let’s get baking! I promise, if you follow the timing here, you’ll end up with the most tender strawberry shortcake cupcakes that taste exactly like the classic dessert. The key is doing things in the right order and not rushing the mixing steps! If you’re interested in other frosting techniques, I have a great guide on making perfectly smooth sugar cookie icing, though for these, we are sticking to the light Chantilly cream.

Baking the Light and Fluffy Cupcakes

First things first: get your oven fired up to 350°F (175°C) and line that 12-cup tin with your liners. We need to handle the dry ingredients separately; just whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set it aside. Now for the main event! In another big bowl, cream that softened butter and the sugar until it looks really pale and fluffy—this takes about three good minutes with the mixer. Add your eggs one at a time, making sure each one blends in completely before adding the next. Don’t forget those vanilla extracts! When you alternate the dry mix and the milk, remember to start and finish with the flour mixture. Just mix until *barely* combined. We want tender, not tough! Scoop the batter about two-thirds full, pop them in, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack—that’s important before we fill them!

Preparing the Fresh Strawberry Dessert Filling

While those cakes are cooling, we focus on pure, intense strawberry flavor. Take all your beautifully sliced strawberries and toss them gently with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and that splash of lemon juice. Now, put them aside for at least 15 minutes. This process is called maceration, and it draws out the sweet, delicious syrup that makes these fresh strawberry dessert recipes shine. Once the cupcakes are totally cooled, take a small knife and carve just a little circle out of the top center of each one. Spoon some of those juicy strawberries and a touch of the liquid right into that fresh hole you just made.

Assembling the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Time for the cloud on top! Make sure your bowl and whisk are chilled when you whip that heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until you hit stiff peaks. You know it’s ready when you can turn the bowl upside down (carefully!) and nothing moves. This forms our light, luxurious whipped cream frosting cupcakes topping. Pipe or spread that Chantilly cream generously over the cored and filled cupcakes. If you want that classic look, stick a tiny fresh strawberry slice right on top of the frosting. Voila! You have handheld perfection.

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Tips for Success Making Moist Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Making strawberry shortcake cupcakes is usually straightforward, but when you’re working with fresh fruit and fresh whipped cream, there are a couple of spots where things can go south fast. I always want you to have perfectly moist results, so let’s talk about staying smart, especially when the weather heats up!

The number one rule, which I learned the hard way testing chocolate chip cookies (you can see that whole saga right here), is not to overmix the batter once the flour goes in. Keep mixing only until you don’t see those white streaks of flour anymore. Overmixing is a sure-fire way to turn even the best moist strawberry cupcakes recipe into something chewy and dense. We want light and fluffy, remember?

Ingredient Swaps for Your Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Now, let’s talk about defense against humidity. Chantilly cream is divine, but in July at an outdoor party? It might start getting a little weep-y. If you know you’re serving these on a hot afternoon, I highly recommend swapping that whipped cream for a sturdy vanilla buttercream. Just use your favorite easy buttercream recipe—it holds up much better to warm temperatures!

Also, for the milk in the batter, whole milk really gives the best richness. If you only have 2% on hand, go ahead and use it; it’ll be fine! Just don’t substitute with water or a non-fat milk, because you’ll lose some of the necessary fat that keeps our strawberry shortcake cupcakes tender.

Variations: Adding Strawberry Crunch Cupcake Topping

Okay, so we’ve got our light cake and our beautiful, billowy Chantilly cream, which is fantastic on its own. But my ears perk up whenever I hear people talking about that amazing texture that reminds us of a classic strawberry crunch cake!

If you want to elevate these strawberry shortcake cupcakes just one step further and mimic that fun crunch, it’s super easy. You don’t need a whole separate recipe, just a little something extra to sprinkle right on top of the cream before serving.

My favorite trick? Take about a quarter cup of freeze-dried strawberries and crush them up really fine in a zipper-lock bag—use a rolling pin, go gentle! Mix those bright red crumbs with a couple of tablespoons of crushed shortbread cookies. If you want, you can even mix in a tiny pinch of strawberry Jell-O powder for extra color vibrancy. Trust me, sprinkling this mix over the frosting adds the perfect textural surprise to every bite!

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If you love that strawberry crunch vibe as much as I do, wait until you see how amazing it is on cheesecake! You can check out my recipe for Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake next time you’re feeling ambitious. But for now, this little sprinkle is all you need to take these delicious strawberry shortcake cupcakes over the top!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Your Cupcakes with Fresh Fruit

Because these strawberry shortcake cupcakes have that lovely macerated filling and the delicate Chantilly cream, we need to be smart about when we put them together. You can absolutely bake the cakes ahead of time—cool them completely, store them airtight at room temperature for up to two days. Even better, that strawberry filling can be made a day early and kept chilled!

But here’s the main thing: wait until the absolute last minute to pipe on that whipped cream frosting and add the filling cores. I usually aim to assemble these within two hours of serving so the cake stays perfectly soft and the cream stays sky-high. For more tips on prepping things ahead of time, take a peek at how I organize my make-ahead breakfast burritos—the principle of storing components separately still applies!

Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

I always get so many questions when people first see these bright beauties! It’s natural when you’re trying a new variation on a total classic. Whether you’re making these for the first time or you’re a baking pro looking for small tweaks, I’ve gathered the most common things folks ask about our strawberry shortcake cupcakes right here.

Can I make the vanilla bean cupcakes from scratch ahead of time?

Yes, you absolutely can! And I highly recommend baking the cake bases a day ahead if you are planning a party. Once those vanilla bean cupcakes from scratch are totally cool, wrap them individually in plastic wrap—make sure they are completely cooled first, or you’ll end up with steamy, gummy liners! Store them snugly at room temperature. Just hold off on coring them, filling them, or adding the Chantilly until the same day you plan to serve them. That keeps the crumb perfectly fresh and tender!

Are these considered quick summer treats?

That’s a great question! If you look at the total time, it looks like a bit of a process, since we are dealing with a cake, a filling, and a frosting. However, the active baking time is super low—you’re looking at about 20 minutes in the oven, plus 15 minutes for the berries to macerate while the cakes cool. In total, you can have these gorgeous strawberry shortcake cupcakes ready to eat in about 45 minutes of active work, which I think totally qualifies them as quick summer treats! They are much faster than making a full shortcake!

What is the difference between these and regular strawberry cupcakes?

This is the best part! A regular homemade strawberry cupcake usually has strawberry puree or chopped fruit mixed right into the batter, making the cake itself strawberry-flavored. With our strawberry shortcake cupcakes, the cake base is intentionally a pure, buttery vanilla—just like a biscuit in a traditional shortcake! The real strawberry flavor comes in two places: the bright, sugary filling we core into the center, and the light-as-air Chantilly cream on top. It’s the combination of that vanilla cake + fresh fruit + fresh cream that gives you the true essence of shortcake!

If you’re looking for more easy cupcake recipes or just want to browse more ideas from the site, feel free to head over to the main Pure Cooking Joy blog page!

Estimated Nutritional Data for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

I always try to keep things simple here, and that includes the nutrition breakdown. When you’re dealing with fresh fruit and a homemade whipped cream frosting, the numbers look different than a store-bought version, which is a good thing! Remember, this is an approximation, because how much butter sticks to the measuring spoon is truly anybody’s guess, right?

These estimates are based on the recipe yielding 12 servings. If you somehow manage to make them last more than a day (it’s tough!), the nutritional values won’t change, but the fresh berries might start looking a little sad.

Here’s a quick look at what’s inside one of these delightful strawberry shortcake cupcakes, assuming standard ingredient sourcing:

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake
• Calories: 280
• Fat: 14g (and that includes the good fats from the butter and cream!)
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Sugar: 25g (Mostly from the berries and the light sweetness of the Chantilly cream)
• Protein: 4g
• Sodium: 150mg

I always say, if you’re baking something this delicious and fresh, you don’t worry too much about the details. It’s a dessert made with love, and that counts for something, doesn’t it?

Share Your Pure Cooking Joy

Now that you’ve whipped up these gorgeous strawberry shortcake cupcakes, I really, truly want to hear about them! Honestly, seeing your creations is the best part of my day. Did the Chantilly cream turn out fluffy enough? Did your family even leave any leftovers, or did they vanish immediately? Don’t keep all that joyous chaos to yourself!

Please take a moment to leave a rating and a comment right here below the recipe. Your feedback helps other home cooks feel confident trying out these easy cupcake recipes for themselves. If you snap a picture of your handheld works of art, tag me! I love seeing how you’ve styled your fresh fruit topping.

You can share all your baking adventures and tag us directly over on Facebook at Pure Cooking Joy. Whether you’re a baking novice or a seasoned pro, finding that pure joy in creating something delicious is what this is all about. Happy baking, friends!

Easy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Fresh Filling

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You can make these light, fluffy strawberry shortcake cupcakes from scratch. They feature a moist vanilla bean cake base, a fresh strawberry filling, and a creamy Chantilly frosting, capturing the classic dessert in a handheld form.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 45 min
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (for filling)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for filling)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (for filling)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

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Instructions

1. Prepare the cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until just combined; do not overmix.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make the strawberry filling: In a small bowl, gently toss the sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. Let this mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to macerate.
8. Core the cooled cupcakes using a small knife or apple corer. Fill the center cavity of each cupcake with the macerated strawberries and some of the accumulated juices.
9. Make the Chantilly cream frosting: In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
10. Pipe or spread the Chantilly cream frosting onto each filled cupcake. Garnish with a small slice of fresh strawberry if desired.

Notes

• For an extra layer of flavor, you can lightly dust the tops of the cupcakes with powdered sugar before adding the frosting.
• If you want a sturdier frosting for warmer weather, substitute the Chantilly cream with a simple vanilla buttercream.
• You can use this recipe to make a handheld strawberry shortcake by slicing the baked cupcakes in half horizontally instead of coring them.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 25g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 55mg