These strawberry cupcakes are moist, flavorful, and loaded with fresh strawberries! Frost them with strawberry frosting for strawberry perfection!

Cupcake Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour not self-rising
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest zest from 1 small lemon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries about 5 large strawberries washed and with the tops cut off

Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, lemon zest, and butter on high speed until fully combined.
4. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients a little bit at a time until just combined.
5. Mix in milk until just combined.
6. Use a spatula to fold in chopped strawberries.
7. Fill cupcake liners halfway full.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Remove cupcakes from cupcake tin immediately and set on the counter to cool.

Strawberry Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/4 cup strawberry puree about 5 large strawberries food processed until they are a thick seedy liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Strawberry Frosting Instructions

If you love strawberries, you’ll love this strawberry cream cheese frosting! It has a thick, creamy texture and it’s perfect for piping on cakes and cupcakes.

1. Beat butter for three minutes (or until light and fluffy) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
2. Mix in strawberry puree and salt.
3. Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
4. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.

Notes

For the cupcakes:

• You can use all-purpose flour in this recipe instead of cake flour. The results won’t be dramatically different. The cake will just be a little more dense.
• Yogurt can be substituted 1:1 for the sour cream. 
• Be careful not to overmix to keep your cupcakes from getting gummy.
• Only fill your cupcake liners halfway. To be completely certain that you are filling the right amount, bake a single test cupcake before baking the rest of the batch.
• Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting so that the frosting doesn’t melt.

For the frosting:

• Be sure to beat the butter for at least three minutes so it is light and fluffy.
• Use less ripe strawberries. Riper strawberries tend to be more moist and could end up making the frosting too wet.
• Add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time and always start on low speed to keep it from making a mess in your kitchen.
• While I don’t recommend frozen berries, if your strawberries were frozen, be sure to defrost them and drain off any excess liquid before using them