These vanilla cupcakes topped with fresh strawberry buttercream are moist, tender, and perfectly fluffy. With a delicate crumb and super-creamy strawberry frosting made from real berries, they look beautiful and taste even better.
**This post was originally published August 19th, 2015. It was updated with new photos, recipe tips, and a slightly adapted frosting recipe on July 14, 2021**
These vanilla cupcakes with strawberry frosting are a simple delight. The cake is moist and tender with an extra-fluffy texture and a buttery vanilla flavor. Instead of artificial coloring or extract, the buttercream gets its pretty pink hue and unmistakable strawberry taste from real berries. The result is a classic, from-scratch cupcake that’s both natural and delicious.
You’re going to love them.
For the Cupcakes
The cupcakes stay tender and moist because the batter includes both milk and plain Greek yogurt—use 2% or whole milk for best results. Greek yogurt can be swapped for sour cream if you’d prefer. A finer crumb is achieved by using cake flour rather than all-purpose flour; cake flour has a softer texture and yields a more delicate cake. Because cake flour can be lumpy, be sure to sift it before measuring and mixing.
Note: If you don’t have cake flour, a substitution using all-purpose flour and cornstarch is provided in the recipe below.
For the Fresh Strawberry Frosting
The strawberry buttercream tastes like real berries in a creamy, sweet frosting. That flavor comes from using fresh fruit and reducing it down to concentrate the taste. The extra steps are worth it for the depth of flavor and the smooth texture.
- Remove the hulls from the strawberries.
- Puree the berries in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Press the puree through a fine metal sieve to remove seeds, using the back of a spoon to push the fruit through. This step is optional but recommended to avoid crunchy bits in the frosting.
- Simmer the puree in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reduces to a thick, jam-like consistency and a deep red color—this usually takes 15–20 minutes.
Allow the reduced strawberry puree to cool completely before making the buttercream. Below is an image showing the puree before and after reduction. 
Once cooled, the reduced strawberry puree is folded into an American-style buttercream: beat softened butter until fluffy, add sifted powdered sugar, and mix in the cooled puree. Add a splash of cream if needed to reach the desired consistency. The concentrated puree gives the buttercream a fresh strawberry flavor without watering it down.
Baking Tips
- Bring the butter, egg whites, Greek yogurt, and milk to room temperature before starting.
- Sift cake flour to remove any lumps before using.
- This recipe uses plain cake flour (not self-rising).
- Do not skip reducing the strawberry puree. Reducing concentrates the flavor and removes excess water—adding raw puree directly will make the frosting thin and under-flavored.
- Make sure the reduced strawberry puree is completely cooled before mixing it into the buttercream; otherwise the butter will soften and the frosting won’t hold its structure.
- I usually reduce the strawberries first so the puree has time to cool while I bake and cool the cupcakes.
Make Ahead Tips
Make the cupcakes up to one day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The frosting can also be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring the frosting to room temperature and re-whip it briefly before using if it becomes firm in the fridge.
The reduced strawberry puree can be prepared in advance as well; cool it completely and store in the fridge overnight. Make the buttercream the day you plan to serve the cupcakes. 
Moist, tender cupcakes with a perfectly balanced buttercream—these vanilla cupcakes with fresh strawberry buttercream are a treat. The frosting brings a bright, fresh flavor and a lovely natural color that complements the simple vanilla cake. They make an ideal dessert for gatherings or a special treat at home.
If you enjoy this recipe, try the related strawberry variations in the recipe list included below.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 and 1/3 cup cake flour* (166.25 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 2 large egg whites, discard the yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (60 ml), room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk (120 ml), 2% or whole
Strawberry Buttercream*
- 10 ounces fresh strawberries (283 grams), about 1 1/2 cups whole berries
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (165 grams), slightly softened
- 2 1/2 to 3 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar (275 – 385 grams), sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (15-30 ml), as needed
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C or 160°C for a fan-forced oven) and line a 12-cavity muffin tin with paper liners. This recipe yields about 12–14 cupcakes.
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg whites and vanilla and beat another 30 seconds.
- Turn off the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and stir in the yogurt.
- Sift in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until nearly combined. Drizzle in the milk and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling about two-thirds full. You should get 12–14 cupcakes.
- Bake 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Frosting
- Hull the strawberries and puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Press the puree through a fine sieve, working in small batches and using a spoon to push the mixture through to remove seeds.
- Transfer the seedless puree to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer the puree 15–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until it reduces to about one-third to one-quarter of its original volume and resembles thick jam. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate to speed cooling if needed.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add about 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.
- Beat in the salt and 3–4 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry reduction. Make sure the strawberry reduction is completely cold before adding.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar in 1/2-cup increments until you reach the desired sweetness and thickness. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of whipping cream at a time until it loosens slightly.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. A large star tip (1M) creates a pretty swirled finish, or use an offset spatula for a smoother top.
Notes
- If you don’t have cake flour, measure 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, remove 2 and 1/2 tablespoons, and replace that amount with 2 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch. Sift the mixture three times.
- Use room-temperature butter, egg whites, yogurt, and milk for the best texture.
- Greek yogurt may be substituted with sour cream.
- The frosting yields enough to pipe generous swirls on 12–14 cupcakes. If you prefer a thin spread of frosting, halve the frosting ingredients (you’ll need about 5 ounces strawberries, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, a pinch of salt, 1 1/4–2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 1–2 teaspoons cream).
- Fresh or frozen strawberries work for the puree; frozen berries may take longer to reduce.
- Nutrition information is an estimate per cupcake, assuming 12 equal portions and all frosting used.
- Cupcakes are best the day they’re made. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours (if cool) or refrigerate up to 3 days. Allow refrigerated cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.