Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

By
María del Mar Cuadra
A headshot of Maria del Mar Cuadra, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
María del Mar Cuadra
María del Mar Cuadra is a food stylist, recipe developer, and art director. She has written three cookbooks and worked for America's Test Kitchen.
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Updated March 25, 2025
strawberry shortcake cupcake with extra strawberries
Strawberry stunner. María del Mar Sacasa

Strawberry shortcake is awesome, but biscuits are a pain in the butt to make, even for a seasoned pro. This variation replaces the finicky biscuits with moist, tender, fool-proof cupcakes.

Recipe Details

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Active 30 mins
Cooling Time 40 mins
Total 75 mins
Makes 12 cupcakes
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • Non-stick baking spray

  • 1 1/4 cups (about 11 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup (about 5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar

  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 large eggs at room temperature

For the Filling:

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced from pole to pole

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons fresh juice from 1 whole lemon

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream, chilled

  • 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions

  1. For the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cupcake tin with liners and lightly coat with baking spray.

  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; reserve. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in liquid measuring cup; reserve.

  3. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.

  4. Divide batter equally among prepared tin. Bake until tester inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to cooling rack and cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn cupcakes out directly onto racks, then invert so the tops are facing up. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

  5. For the Filling and Assembly: Toss strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

  6. Whip cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until light, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup cream and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add remaining cream and beat until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

  7. To serve, slice cupcake tops off with serrated knife. Arrange strawberries on cupcake base, dollop with cream and place tops over cream. Serve.

Special equipment

12-cup standard muffin tin, 12 cupcake liners, electric mixer, rubber spatula, cooling rack

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
4687Calories
255gFat
544gCarbs
67gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories4687
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 255g328%
Saturated Fat 155g777%
Cholesterol 1081mg360%
Sodium 3948mg172%
Total Carbohydrate 544g198%
Dietary Fiber 18g63%
Total Sugars 284g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 274mg1,370%
Calcium 911mg70%
Iron 20mg109%
Potassium 1822mg39%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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