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Easy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes: Best Summer Dessert

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These easy strawberry shortcake cupcakes are the summer dessert you didn’t know you needed. They’re quick enough for a Tuesday night, impressive enough for a party, and simple enough that anyone can make them.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 cup (150g) fresh strawberries, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (150g) fresh strawberries, diced (for macerated strawberries)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for macerated strawberries)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (for macerated strawberries)
  • 1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for whipped cream)
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix
  • Fresh strawberry slices (for garnish)
  • Mint leaves (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup diced strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Stir gently and let sit while making the batter.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
  6. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, mixing on low speed just until combined.
  7. Gently fold in 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries using a rubber spatula.
  8. Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. In a chilled bowl, beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract (and optional pudding mix) on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (about 3-4 minutes).
  11. Spoon a small amount of macerated strawberries onto each cooled cupcake. Pipe or spoon whipped cream on top.
  12. Garnish with a fresh strawberry slice and mint leaf if desired. Drizzle a little strawberry syrup from the macerated berries over the top right before serving.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients matter. Don’t overmix the batter. Chop strawberries uniformly. Use a cookie scoop for batter. Chill your bowl and beaters for the cream. Don’t skip the maceration step. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter, oat milk, and coconut cream. For a shortcut, use a boxed white cake mix and add fresh strawberries.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry shortcake, cupcakes, summer dessert, easy dessert, strawberry recipe, whipped cream, vanilla cake

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/easy-strawberry-shortcake-cupcakes-best-summer-dessert/