Fresh Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes

Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and bursting with real strawberry flavor thanks to a fresh strawberry puree reduction. They’re piled high with a luscious cream cheese frosting and topped with the ultimate crunchy mix of freeze-dried strawberries and crushed Golden Oreos. It’s like your favorite Good Humor strawberry shortcake ice cream bars with a bakery-style twist!

As a busy baker, I like to keep things simple and homemade. This recipe begins with the base of my favorite strawberry cupcakes (no mixes, just fresh flavors here!). You can easily prep the cupcakes, frosting, and topping ahead of time to fit these cupcakes into any busy schedule!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Real strawberry flavor. Fresh strawberries are pureed and cooked on the stovetop to create a thick, flavorful reduction. Together with crushed freeze-dried strawberries (just like in my strawberry shortbread), these cupcakes taste like fresh strawberries, not artificial ones.
• Soft and moist cupcakes. This batter uses oil and butter to keep the cupcakes moist and fluffy with a soft, tender crumb while adding just the right amount of richness.
• Fluffy frosting. Cream cheese frosting can sometimes feel a bit heavy for cupcakes, so we’ve lightened it up! By adding butter and dialing back the cream cheese, we’ve created a whipped frosting that’s soft, fluffy, and tangy.

Ingredients Notes

• Cake flour: I don’t recommend substituting the cake flour. It’s essential for giving the cupcakes a soft, tender crumb.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter and let it soften to temperature. If you use salted butter, eliminate the salt from the recipe. 
• Sour cream: You can substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream. The extra fat keeps these cupcakes moist and fluffy.
• Strawberries: Seasonal fresh strawberries are my go-to. Frozen strawberries will work too, just make sure to thaw and drain them well.
• Cream cheese: For this recipe I use block cream cheese. It has less moisture, which makes it perfect for a creamy frosting. Bring your cream cheese to room temperature to create a smooth frosting.
• Golden Oreos: If you don’t have Golden Oreos, you can use any other vanilla sandwich cookies or plain vanilla cookies like Nilla Wafers.

Please see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make the Cupcakes (Step-By-Step Instructions)

1. Sift the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the butter and sugar for about 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

3. Stream in the oil. Reduce the speed of your mixer, and slowly pour in the oil, mixing until it’s fully incorporated.

4. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Once they’re evenly combined, mix in the vanilla.

5. Add the sour cream. Mix in the sour cream, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

6. Add the dry ingredients and milk. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk at the same time and mix just until everything comes together.

7. Add the strawberry puree. Gently fold in the strawberry puree with a rubber spatula.

8. Transfer to a baking pan. Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full and bake for 17-19 minutes.

Note: At the 17-minute baking mark, gently press the top of a cupcake. If it springs back, then you know your cupcakes are ready!

How to Make Strawberry Crunch Topping

Process cookies and strawberries. Pulse the Golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to a crumbly mixture. Add melted butter and pulse to combine.

Note: No food processor? Add the cookies and strawberries to a plastic reusable storage bag and crush the ingredients into crumbs using a rolling pin. Add the butter to combine everything.

How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting (Step-By-Step Instructions)

1. Beat cream cheese and butter. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.

2. Add powdered sugar. Beat in the powdered sugar on low. Beat in heavy cream and vanilla until a creamy consistency.

Recipe Tips

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Before mixing, make sure your butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk are at room temperature. This helps all the ingredients mix into a smooth batter.
• Use high-quality cupcake liners. Use grease-proof liners to ensure your cupcakes release easily and look picture-perfect.
• Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full. Use a cookie scoop or piping bag to fill the liners. Too much batter can cause cupcakes to spill or rise quickly and sink in the middle.
• Cool the cupcakes completely. Frost completely cooled cupcakes to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting.

Make Ahead

Strawberry cupcakes: You can bake the cupcakes up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Strawberry crunch topping: Make the topping up to a week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Cream cheese frosting: Mix the frosting and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week before using.

Storing

Store leftover strawberry crunch cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving so that the frosting softens.

Alternatively, you can store cupcakes in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

FAQs and Troubleshooting

More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love

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I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it becomes a family favorite! I would love for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! And please tag me on social @thesweetoccasion!

Fresh Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Maria Pagiotas
• Total Time: 1 hour + cooling
• Yield: 14 cupcakes 1x

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Description

Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and bursting with real strawberry flavor thanks to a fresh strawberry puree reduction. They’re piled high with a luscious cream cheese frosting and topped with the ultimate crunchy mix of freeze-dried strawberries and crushed Golden Oreos. It’s like your favorite Good Humor strawberry shortcake ice cream bars with a bakery-style twist!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Strawberry Cupcakes

• 210 g (1 ¾ cups) cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 85 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 60 g (¼ cup) sour cream, at room temperature
• 60 g (¼ cup) whole milk, at room temperature
• 60 g (¼ cup) reduced strawberry puree*

Strawberry Crunch Topping

• 7 Golden Oreo cookies
• 5 g (⅓ cup) freeze-dried strawberries
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 112 g (4 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 450 g (1 pound) powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

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Instructions

Strawberry Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. With the mixer running on medium-low speed, slowly stream in the oil and mix to combine.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in vanilla.
6. Add the sour cream and mix until completely combined.
7. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the milk. Beat until just combined. Gently fold in the strawberry puree.
8. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack before frosting.

Strawberry Crunch Topping

1. Place the Golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries into a food processor. Process until crumbly. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until completely incorporated.  Mix in enough cream for desired consistency. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, an offset spatula, or a knife, frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the frosting.

Notes

1. *Reduced strawberry puree: Cut the stems off of ½ pound of fresh strawberries. Puree them in a food processor or blender until smooth. Cook in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until you have ¼ cup of strawberry puree. Allow to cool completely before adding to your cupcake batter. 
2. Make-Ahead: Make the cupcakes and frosting the day before. Store the cupcakes covered at room temperature and the frosting in the refrigerator. Bring the frosting to room temperature before assembling the cupcakes. Re-whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes.
3. Freezing:  Store unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and frost.

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
• Method: Baking