These pretty little strawberry cupcakes are packed with flavor that comes entirely from fresh strawberries - no strawberry extract here. The moist, tender gluten free cupcakes are topped with an amazing strawberry buttercream that tastes like strawberry ice cream (YUM).
The secret to real strawberry flavor is reducing the strawberry puree to remove the excess moisture and leave behind a concentrated strawberry paste that is used for both the cake batter and the frosting recipe.
These pink cupcakes are so cute for Valentine's Day, a Spring or Summer birthday party, or a baby shower. I just know you're going to love this recipe!
This fresh strawberry cupcakes recipe is adapted from my gluten free strawberry layer cake. If you're looking for a layer cake, you should check it out!
Ingredient Notes
These delicious gluten-free cupcakes use simple ingredients that can be found in any grocery store. The recipe is also dairy free as written.
- Real Strawberries - I prefer to use fresh berries during strawberry season for the best flavor. You could also make this recipe with frozen strawberries, but it's important that you thaw and drain them before making the strawberry puree.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend in this recipe. I have not tested the recipe with any other gluten free flours. You can use your favorite brand, but your results may vary.
- Vegan Butter - A small amount of butter is used in the cake and more is used in the buttercream frosting. I used Country Crock plant butter, but any stick type vegan butter will work fine. If you are not dairy free, use regular unsalted butter in the same measure.
- Oil - I used a combination of oil and butter here to have a more moist cake with the rich flavor of butter. I almost always use extra light olive oil in my cooking and baking, but vegetable oil or liquid coconut oil will also work fine here.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I used unsweetened coconut milk, but any plant based milk will work fine here. Again, if you're not dairy free, you can just swap your favorite milk in with the same measurements.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- No Fresh Strawberries - Use frozen strawberries, but you must thaw them and drain off any liquid before pureeing.
- Not Dairy Free - Use regular unsalted butter and dairy milk in place of the vegan ingredients. The measurements will be the same.
- No Food Coloring - You can skip it if you don't want to use food coloring. The cupcakes will come out more of a rose gold color inside, rather than pink.
- Frosting Swap - If you don't want to use my strawberry buttercream frosting, my dairy free cream cheese frosting would be a great alternative.
- Make Strawberry Filled Cupcakes - Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a teaspoon to scoop out the center of each cupcake and fill it with a teaspoon of strawberry jam. Cover the jam hole with the cake piece you scooped out then decorate with frosting.
How to Make Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes
The basis of this recipe is a strawberry reduction, so that's the first step. Make sure you allot enough time for the puree to cool before you begin baking.
You don't necessarily need a stand mixer for this cupcake recipe. It can easily be made with a handheld electric mixer. I do think the frosting is a bit easier to manage with a stand mixer, but use what you have available!
- STEP 1: Add the strawberries to a high speed blender or food processor. Pulse until it's reduced to a liquid with no chunks remaining.
- STEP 2: Add the strawberry liquid to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 25-30 minutes. The volume should be reduced to between ⅔-3/4 cup and it should be thick like the texture of ketchup.
- STEP 3: Transfer the cooked puree to a heat proof container and allow it to cool to room temperature. NOTE: You will be using ⅓ cup of puree for the cake batter and ⅓ cup for the strawberry frosting.
- STEP 4: Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
- STEP 5: Add the oil, vanilla extract, almond extract, food coloring (if using), egg and egg yolk. Mix again for about 60 seconds.
- STEP 6: Combine ⅓ cup of the strawberry puree with the milk and set aside. Combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together to mix well.
- STEP 7: With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the milk-strawberry mixture. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- STEP 8: Portion the cupcake batter into a 12-cup muffin tin lined with parchment paper liners. You should fill each well ⅔ of the way. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking.
Expert Tip
To check the cupcakes are fully baked, gently poke the top center of the cupcake. It should spring right back when poked. If it leaves an indentation, bake for another 1-2 minutes and check again.
How to Make Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
The most important part of making this naturally flavored and naturally colored strawberry buttercream is reducing the strawberry puree. You should have ⅓ cup of reduced puree leftover from preparing the cupcakes, which will be used here.
- STEP 1: Add the room temperature butter to the mixer and beat on medium speed until it's smooth and creamy.
- STEP 2: Add the sifted powdered sugar to the mixer one cup at a time, stirring on low speed until the sugar is incorporated.
- STEP 3: The mixture should seem thick and a little dry. Add the vanilla extract, salt and ⅓ cup of reduced strawberry puree. Mix again on low speed until the ingredients are well combined.
- STEP 4: Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high. Beat the frosting until it's light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
- STEP 5: Use a piping bag and fitting to decorate the cupcakes. I used a Wilton 2D for this design.
Troubleshooting Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Issue 1: Frosting is too loose and won't hold it's shape - If you're using dairy free butter it tends to melt quicker than dairy butter. It's possible the frosting has gotten too warm during mixing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes, then whip it again to see if the consistency improves.
- Issue 2: Frosting is still too loose after chilling - You may need to add more powdered sugar to compensate for the moisture in the strawberries. Add ¼ cup of sugar at a time to control how thick the frosting becomes.
- Issue 3: Frosting is too stiff - Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Stop when you're reached the desired consistency.
- Issue 4: Frosting is melting off the cupcakes - As mentioned above, dairy free frosting will melt quicker than dairy frosting. If you're planning to serve these cupcakes on a warmer day I recommend replacing half of the butter with vegetable shortening. Shortening has a higher melting temperature so it will hold it's shape better.
Can I use freeze-dried strawberries?
Freeze-dried strawberries actually don't make a great flavor in cake batter, so I don't recommend it. Freeze-dried strawberry powder will work fine in the frosting. Simply replace the strawberry puree with 1 cup of strawberry powder. You will definitely need to add 2-3 tablespoons of milk to loosen the frosting.
Storage
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you are planning to make them well ahead of time, I suggest not adding the fresh strawberries on top before storing. They tend to let out a bit of moisture over time which can ruin the look of the frosting.
More cupcake recipes to try:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ¾ pound Fresh Strawberries de-stemmed
For the cupcakes:
- 1 Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Vegan Butter room temperature
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 drop Red Gel Food Coloring optional
- 1 large Egg room temperature
- 1 large Egg Yolk room temperature
- ⅓ Cup Reduced Strawberry Puree see instructions
- 2 Tablespoons Non Dairy Milk
For the frosting:
- 1 Cup Vegan Butter room temperature
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pinch Salt
- ⅓ Cup Reduced Strawberry Puree see instructions
- 1-2 Tablespoons Non Dairy Milk as needed
Instructions
- Add the strawberries to a high speed blender. Process until there are no more chunks.¾ pound Fresh Strawberries
- Pour the pureed strawberries into a saucepan. Cook over medium low heat for 25-30 minutes until the puree is reduced by half and resembles the texture of ketchup. You should have about ⅔-3/4 cup of reduced puree.
- Transfer the strawberry puree to a heat proof bowl and set aside to cool completely before making the cake. Note: the puree will be divided with ⅓ cup being used for the cake and ⅓ cup for the frosting.
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until it's light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.3 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, ⅔ Cup Sugar
- Add in the oil, vanilla extract, almond extract, and food coloring and beat for another 60 seconds.3 Tablespoons Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ¼ teaspoon Almond Extract, 1 drop Red Gel Food Coloring
- Then add the egg and egg yolk and beat again until they are completely incorporated, 60-90 seconds.1 large Egg, 1 large Egg Yolk
- Set aside ⅓ cup of the reduced strawberry puree for later. Combine the remaining puree with the milk and stir well.⅓ Cup Reduced Strawberry Puree, 2 Tablespoons Non Dairy Milk
- Combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together to mix well.1 Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the strawberry-milk mixture. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Portion the cake batter into the lined muffin pan filling them ⅔ of the way full.
- Allow the cake batter to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before baking.
- Bake on the center rack in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until the tops spring back when gently pressed.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth.1 Cup Vegan Butter
- Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while stirring on low speed.4 Cups Powdered Sugar
- Once the powdered sugar has all been incorporated, add the vanilla, salt, and ⅓ cup of the reduced strawberry puree. Stir together until all of the ingredients are mixed in. If the frosting is too thick, you can stir in 1-2 tablespoons of milk to loosen it. Increase the speed and beat the frosting for about 5 minutes to make it light and fluffy.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, Pinch Salt, ⅓ Cup Reduced Strawberry Puree
- Use a spatula to knock down any air bubbles in your frosting, then decorate using a piping bag and fitting of your choice. I used a Wilton 2D tip for these cupcakes.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Felicia Heatherly says
I’m allergic to almonds, what could I use in substitute of this? Or would it change the taste if I left it out? Do you have a suggestion for this? Thank you! I love strawberry cake to any degree and am always looking for for a recipe!
You can just leave it out with no other alterations. Hope you enjoy!