Here are the perfect cupcakes for Summertime events!
I used to own a cupcake shop, so I have a lot of cupcake recipes in my arsenal. I feel like now more than ever with having kids, we make more cupcakes than I have in a long time. They are such a great dessert to bring to cookouts, summer parties and any get together.
They are also the best way to get your favorite dessert into bite sized. This past weekend we had three different parties in three days. I made these in minis and regular size, and they were an absolute hit at every event!
What is Strawberry Shortcake?
Traditionally, strawberry shortcake is a biscuit-like cookie or cake. It is then topped with whipped cream and either a combination of macerated and fresh strawberries. Or just fresh strawberries all together. I actually have an amazing recipe for strawberry-basil short cake that is out of this world.
In this cupcake version, we use vanilla cupcakes as the base. We macerate fresh strawberries and top with those and vanilla whipped cream. These are light, fluffy, not-too-sweet delicious bites.
What is a macerated strawberry?
All that macerating means is to soften or sweeten in liquid. You can macerate any berries in sugar, liquor or both. If you are making these for an adult crowd, definitely do not skip on the liquor. An orange liquor with fresh strawberries is amazing!
If these are for a kid-friendly vibe, then sugar is perfect. In this case we want a little body to the liquid, so we just added a bit of cornstarch slurry to help thicken them up a bit.
Homemade versus Box mixed
I am not too proud to use a box mix when in a pinch or time crunch. This is absolutely a recipe that you can use a boxed vanilla cake mix and bake your cupcakes that way. Then you can just doctor it up with the strawberry mix and fresh whipped cream. Let’s face it, we are all busy and boxed cakes have come a long way. I do not shame you if you swap that out here for the homemade cupcakes in the recipe.
Chef’s Tips –
The biggest tip here is that you can bake the cupcakes for these up to 2 days ahead and then frost them a few hours before you are taking them for your event or putting them out for dessert. You can also make the filling and the whipped cream up to two days ahead. This way you can have everything ready to assemble and then it is very easy to do so as needed.
Last tip is that you want to make sure that you do not overcook your cupcakes. Cupcakes quick much quicker than a full cake and can dry out very easily. They should be just cooked, and they will carry over slightly in the pan as they cool. A great way to test if they are done is if the tops are still pale and a toothpick comes out clean. This will make a great, moist cupcake that peels from the paper easily and in one piece. It will also have a great crumb. ENJOY!
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- Cupcakes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup oil canola or vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup whole milk room temperature
- Strawberry Topping
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar depending on the tartness of the berries
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water to get rid of clumps
- Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 packet whipped cream stabilizer (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Make the Cupcakes First-Can be made 2 days ahead and stored in airtight container
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and vanilla bean paste. Using the back of a spoon, move around the bowl and apply pressure to break up any clumps of paste and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine crumb texture. This is what you want, don't be worried.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
- Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid-like. Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's supposed to be that way.
- Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full. Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown. If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack to cool down. Cool them completely before frosting or storing.
- While the cupcakes bake you can make the strawberries and whipped cream.
- For the strawberries, add the diced strawberries, sugar and cornstarch mixture to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly as the mixture begins to thicken. This will take about 4 minutes or so. Once the mixture is thickened, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before topping the cupcakes or storing the strawberries. These can be made up to 2 days ahead.
- For the whipped cream, place the heavy cream, stabilizer, sugar and vanilla bean paste into a bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Place into a container to store or into a piping bag with a star tip to top the cupcakes. Hold in the fridge until ready to use.
- You are finally ready to assemble the cupcakes. Take a cupcake and pipe a ring around the outer layer of the top leaving a small hole unfrosted in the center. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of the strawberry mixture into the hole and a little over the top to make it look higher up. Finish with the remaining cupcakes. Refrigerate after making until serving. ENJOY!
