Adapted from vanilla cupcakes and strawberry cake, these white chocolate strawberry cupcakes combine creamy white chocolate, real strawberries, and fluffy cupcakes. Reduced strawberry puree and freeze-dried strawberries are the secrets to real strawberry flavor.
From-scratch strawberry cake has left me defeated for 2 main reasons:
- The strawberry flavor is usually lackluster.
- The texture is too wet from the strawberries.
Strawberry cakes typically rely on artificial flavors. My goal was to produce a soft and moist strawberry cake made from real strawberries. I finally accomplished my baking goal with my strawberry cake. You tried the recipe and loved it too. After baking it in your own kitchen, you told me the cake is “unbelievable” and “phenomenal” and “as if someone had taken Breyers strawberry ice cream and put it into a cake.” 🙂
It’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever made and now it’s time to transform the recipe into cupcakes.
Video Tutorial: How to Make White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
To make the strawberry cupcakes extra special, top them with white chocolate strawberry frosting made from pure white chocolate and freeze-dried strawberries. Combination of white chocolate and strawberry is so yummy—just like in these strawberry and cream cookies. I admit that the cupcakes don’t have a super strong strawberry flavor– you’ll taste it, but it’s truly brought out when paired with our strawberry frosting.
But before we get to the frosting, let’s walk through the cupcakes.
Reduced Strawberry Puree is the Secret
The secret to packing real strawberry flavor into cake batter without adding too much liquid is to reduce the strawberries down. This little trick is a complete game changer and vastly improves both the flavor and texture of strawberry cake. Today we’re doing the same exact thing, but in cupcake form.
Grab fresh strawberries, puree them into a liquid, then reduce the puree down on the stove for about 20 minutes. Do you see the photo above? That is heavily concentrated pure strawberry flavor, about 1/4 cup of reduced strawberry puree. After making the strawberry cake, readers have said it’s helpful to make the reduced strawberry puree the night before so it has time to cool down.
As a refresher: If we added the strawberry puree without reducing it down first, it would completely ruin the texture of the cupcake and the strawberry flavor would be almost absent. Reducing it is the secret.
How to Make White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
This recipe is adapted from my strawberry cake, vanilla cupcakes, and fresh strawberry cupcakes. The ingredients are carefully formulated; each serves a crucial purpose. For example, cake flour produces fluffy cupcakes, egg whites provide structure without weighing the crumb down, and sour cream adds moisture. Milk thins the batter, creamed butter and sugar create a buttery and cake-y base, and the reduced strawberry puree adds flavor.
Beat the strawberry cupcake batter together with a mixer. The cupcake batter is smooth, creamy, and moderately thick. The reduced strawberry puree tints it pale pastel pink. For a more vibrant color, I suggest adding a drop or 2 of pink or red food coloring. I added 1 drop of “dusty rose” gel food coloring.
Fill the cupcake liners only about 2/3 full to avoid overflowing.
White Chocolate Strawberry Frosting
White chocolate strawberry cupcakes require the best frosting! And if that frosting is as bubble gum pink as Barbie’s corvette… well, that’s even better! This white chocolate strawberry frosting is adapted from my plain strawberry frosting and white chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s creamy, lush, and completely packed with real strawberry flavor. We’re using two special ingredients:
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Like strawberry cake, strawberry frosting used to leave me disappointed because (1) the strawberry frosting curdled from the added moisture and (2) no amount of fresh strawberries could get me the strawberry flavor I craved. The solution is freeze-dried berries. (Also the solution to raspberry flavor in our raspberry sugar cookies!) Grind freeze-dried strawberries into a powder and use in place of some of the confectioners’ sugar. You can find freeze-dried strawberries at stores like Wegmans, Giant, Trader Joe’s, Target, and many other major grocery stores, too. Keep your eyes peeled because they’re more commonly found that you think.
- White chocolate: For an indulgently creamy and velvety strawberry buttercream, let’s add pure white chocolate. Grab a white chocolate baking bar from the baking aisle. Two, actually. Most are sold as 4 ounce bars and you’ll need 6 ounces for the frosting. (Hold onto the extra 2 ounces for garnish.) Chop up and melt down. Let it cool for a few minutes, then mix directly into the strawberry frosting.
Remember the extra 2 ounces of white chocolate? Melt it down and coat some fresh strawberries for the perfect finishing touch to our white chocolate strawberry cupcakes. So beautiful, so simple, so strawberry!
I used piping tip Wilton 8B for the frosting. Start in the center of the cupcake and swirl upward. Love this piping tip! Do you follow the Canadian bakery Jenna Rae Cakes on Instagram? I got the cupcake decoration inspiration from them!
This cupcake recipe definitely requires some effort, but the good news is that you can get started on almost everything ahead of time. And the great news is that the result of your hard work is pretty pink cupcakes!
More Strawberry Recipes
- Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Cake
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Strawberry Coconut Macaroons
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 14-15 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Strawberry cupcakes made with real strawberries and zero artificial flavor topped with white chocolate strawberry buttercream!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup reduced strawberry puree (see note)*
White Chocolate Strawberry Frosting
- 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries*
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 6 ounces (170g) white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled (see note)*
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: fresh strawberries coated with 2 ounces melted white chocolate
Instructions
- Make the reduced strawberry puree and allow it to cool completely. See Note for instruction.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 or 3 liners—this recipe makes 14–15 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour and mix in the milk *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Whisk in 1/4 cup of reduced strawberry puree, making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides when baking. Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For about 35 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11–13 minutes, same oven temperature.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- When the cupcakes are nearly cool, melt the white chocolate for the frosting: Place chopped white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup), and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds until completely smooth. Set it aside to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. (Be sure the melted white chocolate has cooled for 20 minutes, so it’s still melted but not scorching hot, which would melt the butter.)
- Make the frosting: Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup. Set aside. In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Switch the mixer to low speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and strawberry powder. Stir the cooled white chocolate so that it is smooth, and then add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Switch the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until combined and creamy. Add the cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for 1 minute until combined. Taste. Add 1 more Tablespoon of heavy cream/milk if needed to thin out, if desired. Add another pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and serve. I used Wilton 8B piping tip and nestled a white chocolate-covered strawberry in the center.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: I recommend making the reduced strawberry puree, as directed in the recipe Note, 1 day ahead of time so it can cool down. Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools: Glass Mixing Bowls | Ninja Food Processor | Pyrex 2-cup Glass Measuring Cup | Americolor Pastel Gel Food Coloring | Cupcake Liners | Cupcake Pan | Wilton 8B Icing Tip | Piping Bags (Reusable or Disposable) | Cooling Rack | Wooden Cake Stand
- Cake Flour: If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, you can make this homemade cake flour substitute. I suggest doing this twice, mixing it all up in 1 bowl then removing 1/4 cup since you need 1 and 3/4 cups in this recipe.
- Reduced Strawberry Puree: Puree 1/2 pound (8 oz/227g) of strawberries. You should have a little over 1/2 cup. Stirring occasionally, simmer the puree over low-medium heat for 20 minutes OR until you’re left with 1/4 cup or a little over 1/4 cup. Allow to cool completely before using in cake batter. It can be refrigerated to speed up the cooling process. I recommend making the reduced puree the day before so it has plenty of time to cool down. I cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Use 1/4 cup in the cupcakes. Leftovers taste great spooned on ice cream/yogurt, or added to a smoothie. Readers have used thawed frozen strawberries with luck, but I personally have not tried it.
- White Chocolate: For best taste and texture, I strongly recommend using pure white chocolate, not white chocolate morsels or candy melts. It’s usually sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars in the baking aisle. I love Ghirardelli or Baker’s brands. You need 6 ounces (170g) for the frosting, so you’ll need 1 and 1/2 bars, but you can use the remaining 2 ounces for coating fresh strawberries as garnish!
- Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries? I always find freeze-dried strawberries in my regular grocery store in the aisle with the dried fruit. Target, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s carry them, too. Or you can purchase them online. Do not use the chewy/gummy dried strawberries. You need freeze-dried strawberries, which grind into a powder.
- Food Coloring: If desired, add a drop or 2 of pink or red food coloring to brighten the color of the cupcakes and/or frosting. I added 1 drop of “dusty rose” gel food coloring to the cupcake batter and to the frosting.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read here for more information.
- What to do with leftover egg yolks? Here are recipes using egg yolks.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Keywords: white chocolate strawberry cupcakes
My son lives strawberries and I wanted to make these for his birthday. However, there are a few children with egg allergies- would you recommend that I substitute the eggs with flax “eggs”?
Hi KG, we haven’t tried these with an egg substitute, but let us know how they turn out if you do!
how long in advance can i make the puree? thanks!!
You can make the reduced strawberry puree ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw, bring to room temperature, then use in the recipe.
Excited to try this for Easter. My daughter (3 y/o) really wants to add chocolate chips. Do we think this cake batter is too light for mini chips?
Hi Laura, adding white chocolate chips shouldn’t be a problem at all! I would add 3/4-1 cup (135-180g).
This recipe is to die for!! So thank you ❤️
I have left over frosting. How long can K keep it in the fridge for?
★★★★★
So glad you loved it! Store frosting for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed. (It stiffens in the refrigerator.)
I can’t wait to make these for my birthday party this weekend. If I made mini cupcakes what would the baking time be?
Hi Liz, For about 35 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11–13 minutes, same oven temperature. Hope you have a great birthday!
I want to use this recipe for a 1 yr olds smash cake. i have 1 6 x 3 inch daddio pan and one 4 inch daddio. i think there will be more than enough batter but i’m nervous for cooking times. when should i start checking them so i don’t over bake?
Hi Lauren, I recommend you start checking around 18 minutes. You will have some extra batter, so you can always make a few cupcakes with that.
Could I use raspberries instead of strawberries in this recipe to make it white chocolate raspberry cupcakes?
Hi Ada, yes, you can use a raspberry puree in the cupcake batter and freeze dried raspberries in the frosting. Enjoy!
Hi Sally I would love to try this recipe. Where strawberries aren’t yet in season in the northeast, what are your thoughts on using a frozen strawberry purée?
Hi Joyce, Absolutely! Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Hi! I absolutely love this recipe. It was a hit! I’m going to make it again for a bake sale, and I was wondering… would it be weird to use buttermilk instead of milk?
★★★★★
Hi Lucy, buttermilk should work just fine there.
Hi Sally, I’m planning to use the white chocolate strawberry frosting on a two layer cake. Should I increase the ingredients by 1.5, rather than doubling? Thanks!
Hi Sarah! 1.5x this recipe should be just about perfect. Happy baking!
Best. Cupcakes. EVER.
These cupcakes were amazing! They were fluffy and they had intense strawberry flavor and the white chocolate frosting really took it up a notch! Everybody loved them and one person told me it felt like “biting into a strawberry cloud.” I will definitely be looking for an excuse to make these again 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Sally, if I wanted to, could I swap out the strawberry purée and freeze dried strawberry’s for blueberry purée and freeze dried blueberry? Thank gou
Hi Sarah! Yes, those swaps should work well. Let us know if you give it a try!
These cupcakes are my new favorite!!!! Not only did they turn out beautifully, but they were absolutely delicious!! I have a gluten allergy and made them with King Arthur’s 1:1 GF flour and they were so light, moist and fluffy! I added a tablespoon more of strawberry purée into the batter since people said they would have liked the strawberry flavor to come through more and I thought it was the perfect amount. I also added honey into the strawberry purée to sweeten it up so that I could use the leftovers on other things. I highly recommend that. I also finished the cupcakes with a white chocolate drizzle. They looked very pretty and I personally loved the extra white chocolate on top. Thank you so much for the recipe!! I will definitely make these again.
★★★★★
Could this recipe be cooked in a bundt pan? Really wanting a strawberry bundt cake but this recipe looks amazing so wasn’t sure!
Hi Blake, the batter should be about the right amount for a Bundt pan. A Bundt pan typically holds 10-12 cups of batter, and a cupcake recipe that yields 12-16 cupcakes should give you about 12 cups of batter. See this post on cake pan sizes and conversions for more information. Hope it turns out great!
I loved the recipe so much
★★★★★
Can you use frozen strawberries to reduce to the puree? Fresh organic berries aren’t great quality right now.
Hi Tina, You can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first.
Can you make this as a cake and stack this cake as a tiered cake?
Hi Lyd, this recipe would work well as a top tier.
Hi Sally,
Do you foresee any reason not to triple the recipe and then bake cupcakes in 3 phases? I’m wondering if the batter will be okay to sit while the previous batches are baking? Thank you so much for all that you do! Your recipes are outstanding!
Hi Rita, for best results (and to prevent over or under mixing), we recommend making separate batches rather than doubling or tripling. Thank you for making and trusting our recipes!