These Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes have super yummy fruit flavor, and are a great option for a first birthday, toddler birthday, or any event you can dream up. Plus, they are just the prettiest pale shade of pink!
I first made these cupcakes when my oldest daughter turned three and we shared them with a few friends. My girl was obsessed with pink then, so these pale pink cupcakes were made with that love in mind. But I also was happy to offer her a festive birthday treat that had real berries inside!
I use fresh strawberries to make a quick strawberry puree that delivers a big burst of fresh berry flavor. It’s a lovely kids birthday cake recipe to make in the spring when berries are plentiful—or simply if you have a kiddo who likes strawberries and/or the color pink.
The cupcakes are lightly sweetened with maple syrup, making them a fun first birthday party idea.
(You may also like One-Year-Old Birthday Cake, First Birthday Smash Cake, Sweet Potato Baby Cake, and Strawberry Sheet Cake.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
To make these Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Flour: I prefer to use all-purpose flour in this recipe so the final result is light and tender cupcakes.
- Strawberries: We use fresh strawberries in this cupcake recipe so they are moist and filled with fruit flavor.
- Coconut oil or butter: I typically use butter in this recipe, but you can use coconut oil if needed to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Maple syrup or honey: You can use either of these to add natural sweetness to the strawberry cupcakes. Avoid honey for babies under age 1, though.
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting: This is my favorite frosting to use in this recipe since it amplifies the strawberry flavor.
TIP: You can use a gluten-free cup-for-cup flour if needed in this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making these Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes. Scroll down for the full recipe, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Blend the strawberries to make a smooth strawberry puree. Measure out the amount you need.
Step 2. Add the puree to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine gently, but thoroughly.
Step 3. Divide the batter among a muffin tin lined with paper cupcake liners. Bake.
Step 4. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cup of fresh strawberry puree makes these cupcakes both moist and flavorful.
This recipe uses strawberry puree to make the batter slightly pink, but you can also add red or pink food coloring to the batter if desired.
I prefer to use my Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting for maximum strawberry flavor.
How To Store
Store the frosted strawberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To make these ahead, store the cupcakes, once cooled and without frosting, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Frost right before serving.
Best Tips for Success
- You can make the strawberry puree up to 3 days ahead. (This makes this recipe really easy!)
- Let the Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack or tilt the pan to allow air underneath to more quickly cool them down and prevent them from over-baking.
- Let the cupcakes cool before adding the icing. I prefer to use my Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting here.
- To make these ahead, store the cupcakes, fully cooled and without frosting, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Frost right before serving.
- Store any leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- You may also like Banana Cupcakes, Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes, and Easy Chocolate Cupcakes.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear what you think if you make this recipe so please comment below to share!
Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Berries
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Wash the berries and remove the stems. Puree in a food processor or blender. You should have about 1 cup puree.
- Combine the butter (or oil) and maple syrup in a glass, heatproof measuring cup. Warm in 15-second increments in the microwave, stopping to stir, until the butter (or oil) is melted. Let cool slightly.
- Stir in the vanilla, eggs, and strawberry puree.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir the puree mixture into the flour mixture.
- Fill the prepared liners with the batter to about ¾ full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting and pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Serve.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- To make these ahead, store the cupcakes, fully cooled and without frosting, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Frost right before serving.
- Store any leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- You can make the puree up to 3 days ahead. (This makes this recipe really easy!)
- Dairy-free: Use melted coconut oil instead of butter.
- Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose.
- You can use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose.
- You can use honey instead of maple syrup (if your child is at least 1).
- Let the cupcakes cool before adding the icing.
- To make the lightest color cupcakes possible (if that matters to you!), use honey and all-purpose flour.
These were a hit!!! Not that I had any doubts with one of your recipes. Lately, I always include “yummy toddler food” in my search anytime I google a recipe for the kiddos!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Hi! I see you mentioned gluten free flour substitute but I don’t understand exactly what you mean. What’s the substitution ratio?
You’d use the same amount of gluten-free flour blend as the flour called for in the recipe.
Love love love! Thank you
I loved this recipe so much that I doubled it and turned it into a Bundt cake for my son’s birthday! I made the buttercream frosting then piled the center of the Bundt high with fresh berries – both the toddlers and adults enjoyed it! Baked at 325F for 50 minutes. The maple syrup and fresh berries makes for a really clean, fresh flavor. I used this same recipe to make mini cupcakes for class and it was also a hit! It’s definitely a keeper – I plan to make this again!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Do you think this would work in a 9×5 loaf pan? If so, any idea on cooking time? I want to make a rectangle cake to turn into a fire truck. Thank you!
Hi- I don’t know if the middle would cook through. I am more confident that my Strawberry Muffin recipe would work better for that if you want to look at that one. (Or my Vanilla Cupcake recipe.) I hope that helps and sounds cute!
I almost never really have baked goods and I could’ve eaten the whole tray of these muffins. It is so moist and delicious!!! To boost the strawberry flavor, I added TJ freeze dried strawberries and topped with Kite Hill strawberry cream cheese because I didn’t want to make frosting. Highly recommend this recipe.
So glad to hear that!
I cannot wait to make these! I have made a bunch of your other recipes and they are ALWAYS fantastic. Two questions:
-Can you use whole wheat flour in these?
-Is there any sweetener substitute that can be used for the powdered sugar in the frosting? We try to stick to sweeteners like maple syrup and honey and stay away from white sugar.
Thank you so much for your fantastic site. You have been a godsend my my toddler’s eating habits.
Hi- If you want to use whole wheat flour, I’d just check for doneness a minute or two earlier than I say as they may bake a little faster. You can omit the powdered sugar and use a little honey. Should be a very similar consistency. Enjoy
I use dates powder as an alternative to sugar.
These didn’t work for me. They rose up but then sank down so they were flat, not domed. And, they stuck to the cupcake liners. Just seemed too damp. I tried making a small batch with cooking oil instead of coconut oil and they were a little better, but not much.
There is a reference to cake flour in the comments. Do you recommend using cake flour?
I haven’t made this version with cake flour and it may not cook through properly (it may be too wet for cake flour)
What would the cook time be on a 9 muffin tin? Looking to make this a first birthday smash “cake” for the birthday girl! Thank you!
I haven’t made them that way so I can’t say for sure, but I would guess 24-ish minutes for slightly larger cupcakes. I hope she enjoys it!
Would frozen strawberries work?
Sure
I have made these a bunch of times and they are consistently moist and yummy. Both adults and kids rave! I make the recipe exactly as is and they are great 🙂
I doubled this recipe and baked it in three 6″ cake pans for a six layer cake with whipped cream and diced strawberries between the cake layers and on top. It was very tall and quite a hit!
I noticed at the last minute that the doubling button only doubled the ingredient list, not the directions, so if you double or triple, be sure that you’re doubling or tripling the amount of strawberry puree accordingly—if the single recipe is one cup, then the double is two and triple is three. Thanks for the great recipe!
I made these, exactly like the recipe and it turned out amazing! A family member who “doesn’t eat dairy or eggs” or a lot of treats had 3 of these in one sitting lol!
Any suggestions for substituting the eggs? My daughter is allergic to them. Would love to try your recipe for her first birthday cake!
Hi- I would try either using 1 full teaspoon baking soda and adding 1/2 cup milk OR using a store bought egg replacer like the one from Bobs Red Mill. I haven’t tested this recipe with those options, but I think both are decent options to try. Enjoy the big birthday!