A tender, moist and fluffy yellow vanilla cupcake gets topped with a creamy yet intense buttercream strawberry frosting!!
I was asked by a dear old praise dancer buddy, Lia to teach a baking class for her daughter, Mallory and her friends, Olivia and Kennedy this past weekend. Oh boy!!! And since I gave up sugar, I knew there was gonna be a self-control lesson in store just for me. They wanted to bake a traditional yellow, vanilla batter cupcake with a strawberry frosting. I was glad that it wouldn’t involve me test-tasting anything since I’d already perfected a yellow cupcake recipe in my Banana Pudding Surprise Cupcakes. I remembered hubby, strangers and friends going ga-ga over these delicious little cakes as I tested the batter several times over a few days last year. I knew it would be the perfect base for said Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting.
Now for the frosting, I knew that it would involve a simple buttercream frosting but how could I add that strawberry flavor without the added juiciness that fresh strawberries provide? Fresh strawberries makes the buttercream entirely too runny in my opinion. I remembered that Sally over at Sally’s Baking Addiction used freeze dried strawberries to get that potent strawberry flavor without ruining the buttercream frosting. Perfect! I now had a baking 101 class to teach these sweet girls without being concerned that I would fall off my sugar free bandwagon.
Let me tell you…the girls absolutely loved these Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and so did their dear parents! {My parents included…I’m sure you noticed my dear daddy’s hand going in for one!! 🙂 } They all raved over their moisture and that delicious strawberry flavor. We certainly had a blast making them and it was nice to see them encouraging and challenging one another in their relationships even during this simple baking class. We all need that encouragement from our dear friends and family. It’s important to challenge one another in those friendships in order help us grow to new heights. God’s Word says, As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]. – Proverbs 27:17 (AMP). Thanks again Mallory, Olivia and Kennedy for joining me in my kitchen!! I hope to see you back again soon! Say Grace and enjoy!!
In a strawberry kinda mood? Be sure to try my Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake and my Strawberry Shortcake French Toast Casserole!!
Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
Ingredients
- Cupcakes
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 T. vanilla extract
- 2 c. cake flour
- 1 T. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 c. buttermilk room temperature
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1.2 oz package Trader Joe's freeze dried unsweetened strawberries
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 41/2 c. powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12 cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Cream butter in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about a minute.
- Pour in sugar and beat for about 4 more minutes or until fluffy.
- While beating the butter and sugar, sift flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add eggs and vanilla to the batter and beat just until the yellow disappears.
- Now add in the flour mixture and buttermilk; alternating by starting and ending with the flour mixture. Don't blend too long or else you'll end with some very tough cupcakes.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners filling ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to completely cool on a wire rack.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream by crushing the strawberries in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Push the powder through a sieve to make sure there are no huge crumbs remaining. Set aside.
- Beat butter on medium until creamy for a couple minutes.
- Add sugar, strawberry powder, and vanilla. Beat on high for a few minutes until it comes together.
- Place buttercream in piping bag and pipe over cooled cupcakes.
- Garnish each cupcake with a fresh strawberry. Say Grace and enjoy!!
Frosting adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
The buttercream recipe is my all time favorite!! Beautiful photos!
So good, right??? Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂
Oh no a sugary frosting filled baking class and you have given up sugar! The idea of using freeze dried strawberries in the frosting for added flavour punch is just brilliant.
I know, right?!?!? Horrible timing! Lol! Glad the girls were able to indulge and enjoy. Can’t wait to actually taste this combo someday!!
These cupcakes look heavenly! I still have some strawberries left so I am surely making these on the weekend. My wife will love em!
Thanks Igor!! Enjoy!!
Love the expression on the kid’s faces. I bet these are delicious and you have the perfect helpers. I know my kiddos would gobble these up. Love the strawberry garnish on top.
Thanks Ali!! It’s a winner!! 🙂
The freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting is worth its weight in gold! What a perfect idea. I have always had issues with runs frosting using fresh fruit! Thanks so much
I know, right? The frosting turned out just perfectly!!
Hey Felesha, I can almost smell the fresh strawberries. This is one recipe that I will definitely try. Love your recipes and blog.
Thanks Bonnie! So good to hear from you! You will absolutely love these!! Thanks for stopping by.
Beautiful cupcakes! Great idea to use freeze dried strawberries in the frosting.
Thanks Izabella!!
These cupcakes look delicious and so beautiful.
Thank you Lucy!
these cupcakes look pretty! i have a daughter, she love everything with pink, her nails, her dress, her bedroom, her bike,….so this must be a nice gift for her after school. thanks for sharing this recipe, Felesha. so sweet 🙂
Enjoy!!
How could I say. I love pink, I love strawberry. And this recipe just hit right into my favorite. I do not like sweet but I must say that this recipe attract me. Incredible design. I believe that kids must fall in love with this recipe. Thanks for sharing, Felesha.
The girls couldn’t get enough of ’em!! Enjoy!! 🙂
Hi !! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Yummms! But when I baked the cupcakes sink in 🙁 why?
Thanks Juan! Glad you enjoyed them!! There a several reasons why that could have happened.
Overmixing the batter. Oven temp too high (make sure oven is calibrated). Old baking powder (more than 3 months). Under baking. Hope you’ll try them again!