Strawberry Filled Vanilla Cupcakes

4.75 from 4 votes

These delightful Strawberry Filled Vanilla Cupcakes start with my moist and fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe which is then filled with a homemade strawberry filling made with fresh in-season strawberries.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Cooling Time1 30

Total Time2 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Cheryl Norris

Equipment

Ingredients

Strawberry Filling

2 cups (250 grams) fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Vanilla Cupcake

1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste substitute with pure vanilla extract
2 large (100 grams) eggs
2/3 cup (161 grams) full-fat sour cream room temperature, divided
1-2/3 cups (212 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (169 grams) unsalted butter room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Filling

Place the chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan. Let the ingredients sit for 10 minutes. Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the strawberries simmer for 3-5 minutes until the strawberries are soft.
NOTE: If you’re using local in-season strawberries, the strawberries will break down quickly and release a lot of liquid into the pot. If the strawberries have a large white center, you may need to use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to crush the berries and break them down further.
Stir the cornstarch mixture together again and then stir it into the cooked strawberries. Increase the heat to medium and stir constantly until the filling turns shiny and deep dark red, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Taste the filling. If it still has a taste of cornstarch, return the mixture to the heat and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Pour the strawberry filling into a heat-proof container, such as a measuring cup or ceramic bowl. Cool the strawberry filling to room temperature before filling the cupcakes. If making the day before, store the cooled filling in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make the Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl combine the eggs, vanilla extract and 1/3 third of the sour cream and whisk the ingredients together. Cut the butter into 8 pieces.
Add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients on medium-low for 30 seconds to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter and remaining sour cream and mix on medium speed until the butter and sour cream are thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is creamy, about 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the egg mixture in two batches, mixing on medium speed until the egg mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottoms of the bowl and then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cups of the muffin pan, about 60 grams each. Each muffin tin should be about 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes until they are done. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan to a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
If making the cupcakes one day in advance before frosting them, store the cooled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fill the Cupcakes

Gently push the cupcake corer into the center of the cupcake, about 3/4 of the height of the cupcake. Twist and then pull up to remove the core, leaving a well about 1 inch deep – you don't want to go all the way through.
If using a paring knife, gently insert the tip of paring knife into the center of the cupcake, angling it slightly towards the middle. Twist and push down slightly to remove a core, leaving a well about 1-inch deep – you don't want to go all the way through.
Place the removed cupcake piece in a bowl and save the very top of the removed piece to cover the strawberry filling.
Fill the center of each cupcake with about 2 heaping teaspoons of the strawberry filling.
Once the cupcakes are filled with the strawberry filling, they need to be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

How to Frost the Cupcakes

Using a Pastry Bag: Fit your pastry bag with an open star tip, such as the Wilton 1M, or your favorite decorating tip, and fill it with buttercream. Starting at the outside edge of the cupcake, pipe frosting in a swirl with the tip about 1/4" to 1/2" above the cupcake, exerting even pressure on the bag continuously. Finish the swirl in the center of the cupcake by removing the pressure and lifting up the tip slightly as you near the center. If you’re new to decorating cupcakes it may take some practice.

How to Store the Cupcakes

Unfrosted Cupcakes: If not frosting and serving the cupcakes the same day as they are baked store them in an airtight container. Let the cupcakes cool completely and then store them in a single layer in the container for up to two days.
Don't store the cupcakes while they are still warm. The condensation will cause the paper liners to peel from the cupcakes if stored while still warm.
Frosted and Filled Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are filled with strawberry filling, and frosted with the mascarpone frosting they can only sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
If using Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or Swiss Meringue Buttercream the cupcakes can sit at room temperature for up to 2 days as long as they don’t have the strawberry filling.

Notes

Mixing the Cupcake Batter: These cupcakes are made with the reverse creaming method. In this method, butter and a little liquid are beaten into the dry ingredients. The flour is coated with the fat which inhibits gluten development. The eggs and remaining liquid are then beaten into the batter. The resultant cupcakes are fluffy and moist with a level top.

Measuring the Ingredients: For the best results weigh the flour and sugar. The dry ingredients can be weighed directly into the mixing bowl with the reversing creaming method since they're mixed together first.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature which is 65-68°F.

Freezing the Cupcakes: See the details in the blog post about how to freeze the unfilled and unfrosted cupcakes.

Nutrition