🧁 It’s Strawberry Time! Frozen strawberries deliver fresh flavor in every bite. This bakery-style recipe bursts with real strawberry taste.
Triple strawberry cupcakes are a dream for strawberry lovers: tender, extra moist, and packed with natural strawberry flavor. The recipe uses frozen unsweetened strawberries to make a quick compote. Part of that compote goes into the cupcake batter, part into the cream cheese buttercream, and the rest becomes a jammy filling. This cupcake is an adaptation of the Ultimate Strawberry Cake, adjusted for the faster baking time and smaller format of cupcakes.
Strawberry, Strawberry, and More Strawberries
The batter combines natural strawberry extract, a small amount of strawberry puree, and strawberry compote for concentrated flavor. I recommend using a pure or natural strawberry extract to avoid any artificial aftertaste. Frozen unsweetened strawberries are ideal because they are typically flash-frozen at peak ripeness and deliver consistent, strong strawberry flavor year-round. To make the puree, thaw a portion of frozen strawberries and blend until smooth.
How to Make Moist Strawberry Cupcakes
These cupcakes stay extra moist thanks to buttermilk, vegetable oil, and Instant Clearjel. Cupcakes bake faster than layer cakes, so this recipe increases moisture-enhancing ingredients slightly to keep each cupcake soft and tender. Instant Clearjel helps thicken the compote and stabilize moisture in both cake and frosting.
Fresh Strawberry Compote Cupcake Filling
The compote is made from four simple ingredients: frozen strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and Instant Clearjel. It cooks down into a thick, spoonable filling that is excellent inside cupcakes, layered cakes, or used as a swirl in frostings. Reserve portions of the compote for the batter, the frosting, and the cupcake centers so every element has a concentrated strawberry hit.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream
The frosting is a light, whipped cream cheese buttercream enriched with reserved strawberry compote. Whip it for several minutes until airy and fluffy—the compote adds both flavor and moisture while Instant Clearjel helps the frosting hold its shape for piping.
How to Fill and Decorate Triple Strawberry Cupcakes
Core each cooled cupcake with a paring knife or a cupcake corer, spoon or pipe the compote into the center, and replace the cake lid. Pipe a swirl of strawberry cream cheese buttercream using a 1M star tip or simply spread with a spatula. Finish with halved fresh strawberries for a pretty, fresh garnish. These steps create a neat, bakery-style cupcake with a jammy center and fluffy frosting.
These pink cupcakes suit everything from a family potluck to special celebrations. They’re easy to scale and make a delightful centerpiece for any dessert table.
Thanks for reading. ❤️
📖 Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Triple Strawberry Cupcakes
For the most accurate results, weigh ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale.
Watch the quick recipe video
Pin Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Compote
- 2 x batch prepared Strawberry Compote
Butter
- 1 stick (4 oz) Salted Butter
Dry Ingredients
- 227 grams (1 ¾ cups) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Instant Clearjel
- 200 grams (1 cup) Sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 3 oz (85 grams, about ¾ cup) Frozen Strawberries (unsweetened)
- 2 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ tsp Natural or Pure Strawberry Extract
- ½ tsp Liquid Red Food Coloring
Strawberry Buttercream
- 255 grams (2 ¼ cups) Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Instant Clearjel
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 ½ sticks (6 oz) Salted Butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Natural or Pure Strawberry Extract
Decoration
- 10 Fresh Strawberries, halved
Instructions
Make Strawberry Compote
- Whisk Instant Clearjel with a portion of the sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine frozen strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a nonstick skillet or saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until strawberries are thawed and liquid simmers. Use a spatula to break the berries into small pieces (about ¼-inch). Continue cooking about 5 minutes until softened.
- Remove from heat, stir in the Instant Clearjel/sugar mixture; the compote will thicken immediately and further as it cools. Reserve ½ cup (118 g) for the batter, ½ cup (118 g) for the frosting, and the remainder for filling the cupcakes. Refrigerate if making ahead.
Make Strawberry Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line 19 cupcake tins with liners.
- Melt the salted butter in the microwave until just melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make strawberry puree: thaw 3 oz (¾ cup) frozen strawberries in the microwave, then puree until smooth (about ¼ cup puree).
- Whisk the puree with the remaining wet ingredients until smooth.
- Sift or whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk until just incorporated. Add melted butter and whisk. Stir in ½ cup prepared strawberry compote until the batter looks uniform and glossy.
- Portion batter with a 2-oz scoop (or ¼ cup) into liners.
- Let the filled tins rest 5–10 minutes to allow Instant Clearjel to thicken the batter for a better rise.
- Bake on the middle or upper oven rack at 325°F for 10 minutes, then without opening the oven reduce the temperature to 300°F and bake another 6–8 minutes. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If crumbs look wet, bake a bit longer.
- Optionally brush cupcakes lightly with simple syrup to lock in moisture.
Make Strawberry Buttercream
- Whisk powdered sugar and Instant Clearjel together and set aside.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add room-temperature butter and continue beating, scraping the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar mixture until incorporated.
- Add ½ cup reserved strawberry compote and beat on low until blended. Add strawberry and vanilla extracts, then beat on high for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. The Instant Clearjel will thicken the buttercream slightly as it rests.
Fill and Decorate the Cupcakes
- Core each cupcake with a paring knife or corer. Spoon or pipe remaining compote into the center, replace the cored piece, and pipe frosting with a 1M tip or spread with a spatula. Top each cupcake with a halved fresh strawberry. This recipe yields enough compote and frosting for 19 cupcakes with a modest swirl of buttercream.
Notes
- Instant Clearjel is a useful pantry ingredient for stabilizing fillings and keeping baked goods moist. Whisk it thoroughly with dry ingredients to avoid clumping. Use brands labeled “Instant” for best results.
- If you use a different strawberry extract, start with less and add to taste; quality extracts vary in strength.
- Simple syrup is optional but recommended to keep cupcakes moist: dissolve equal parts sugar and water and brush onto cupcakes while they cool.
Calories are estimates. Additional linked recipes may have separate calorie counts not included here.
Mention @amycakesbakes or leave a comment. I’d love to hear how yours turned out!
Print Recipe