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Easy Strawberry Cupcakes use my favorite method for doctoring cake mix to make cupcakes that are bursting with strawberry flavor. Top them with strawberry buttercream for double the sweetness!
You guys, it’s been quite the start of a week.
I know I shouldn’t complain at all because we just got home from an amazing vacation in Boca Grande, Florida, but I seriously feel like I’m suffering from a vacation hangover.
I’m so freaking tired, I have pretty much zero motivation to cook, bake, or even work.
Napping. That’s pretty much what I have motivation for right now.
I blame it all on Ohio’s weather – rain, clouds and just all around blah-ness. Which is pretty much the complete opposite of the glorious weather we just experienced for two weeks.
If I’m being real, I haven’t even unpacked my suitcase. I kinda keep telling myself there’s realllllly no point because it’s 40 degrees in Ohio right now, so it’s not like a beach wardrobe is a necessity.
However, instead of napping, or binge watching something on Netflix, I’m trying to get our lives back into a routine.
Even my sweet babe is having a hard time getting back into the swing of things and has consistently begged me for just 5 more minutes every morning I’ve gotten her up for school.
Basically we’re all struggling around here.
When we are all on the struggle bus like this, I like to reach into my arsenal of easy recipes. Sometimes just the act of baking, even if it’s something simple like Easy Strawberry Cupcakes, can kick my butt back into gear.
MAKING STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH CAKE MIX
You guys love my Doctored Cake Mix. I get a ton of questions from readers curious if they can adapt the recipe with different flavor combinations.
Of course you can! This is one of my all-time favorite tricks.
I am all about berry recipes this time of year, so turning a simple vanilla cake mix into Easy Strawberry Cupcakes is a must.
Boxed vanilla cake mix combines with Greek strawberry yogurt and fresh strawberries to create simple, moist cupcakes that are bursting with strawberry flavor.
The diced fresh strawberries in the batter are what really make Easy Strawberry Cupcakes out-of-this-world good. They add extra flavor and texture to these cupcakes.
Add on a swirl of strawberry buttercream and you’ve got one stellar cupcake with minimal fuss.
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Of course you can top your Easy Strawberry Cupcakes with any flavor of homemade buttercream frosting that you like. (Lemon frosting would be delish!)
But me? I love to double the strawberry flavor with strawberry buttercream frosting.
To make buttercream bursting with flavor and tinged a natural light pink, I simply swapped the milk I would normally use in my buttercream for fresh strawberry puree.
You can add a drop or two of food coloring if you’d like an even bolder pink color, but I personally like seeing the darker flecks of strawberry in the light pink frosting.
MORE EASY CUPCAKE FLAVORS
If strawberries aren’t your thing, that’s ok. You can use the method for these Easy Strawberry Cupcakes to make other fruity cupcake flavors.
The world is your oyster here, folks!
Try it with peach Greek yogurt and fresh peaches, or blueberry yogurt and fresh blueberries. I’d love to hear the combinations you come up with, and how they worked for you.
Easy Strawberry Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 box French Vanilla cake mix 15.25 ounces
- ½ box instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4-ounce box
- 1 cup Greek strawberry yogurt
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup water
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup diced fresh strawberries about 10 medium berries
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 1.5 pounds confectioners' sugar sifted (24 ounces or about 5.5 cups)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- About 8 medium fresh strawberries pureed (you'll need 4-5 tablespoons of puree)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, Greek yogurt, oil, water, eggs and vanilla. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined. Fold in diced strawberries
- Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes. The cupcakes may develop a slight divot in the center as they cool, but no worries, you'll cover that with delicious frosting.
- Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until it is completely incorporated. Add in vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree, mix until incorporated. Turn off the mixer and check the buttercream for taste and texture. Gradually add in the last 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree until you reach the desired level of strawberry flavor. Please note that adding more than the recommended 5 tablespoons could result in a thinner frosting. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and if desired, garnish with fresh strawberries.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love love love this recipe! I’ve made it many times for cupcakes and it makes a great cake too! I do have one question….. every cupcake looks amazing when it comes out of the oven, then they sink. What am I doing to make this happen, not just once, but EVERY time???
Hi, Tracy! I think it could be overbeating the batter or the oven temperature is off. An oven thermometer will tell you exactly what the temperature is, so you should be able to adjust accordingly. I’m glad you like the recipe!
These are SO good! Even if I have all the time in the world to make cupcakes, I don’t think I’d use a different recipe. I made these for Mother’s Day, and they were a big hit with everyone. I only got one though, and now I’m sad and miss my cupcakes ;-) I foolishly made half a batch because there weren’t many people.
I’m so glad everyone liked them, Tamara!
I made the cupcakes so far not the frosting yet. Our party for my soon to be 4 year old is monday. We have been digging in without the frosting…These are amazing cupcakes. Good as a muffin lol.
I’m so happy to hear that, Rachel!
I have a question. I forgot to buy the Greek yogurt and have to make them asap. Can I use sour cream instead?? Thank you
Hi, Launa! I think you’ll probably be fine. Let me know how you like them!
I use a strawberry cake mix and strawberry and cream jello pudding that is sold on the jet.com website along with the other ingredients and they came out perfect!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cupcakes, Angela! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Can I use a strawberry cake mix and strawberry jello instead of vanilla? I just want it to be really strawberryyy for my 9 yr old nieces birthday.
Hi, Kathy! I say, go for it! I hope your niece enjoys her birthday!
oh my goodness! these are horrible! because I cant stop eating them lol! holy cow they are soo good. I made them for my daughters class for her birthday (today big 7!) I used frozen strawberries and they worked great! I little sour but a bit of sugar on them before I added them to the mix helped! the frosting was so yummy and melty in your mouth.
Thanks for the recipe!
Ha! Thank you, Kali! Happy 7th birthday to your daughter!
I made these 2 years ago for my daughters 34th birthday. She loved them. I thought I made them again this year, but inadvertently used a different recipe. She said the cupcakes this year were good, but she really liked these so much better. Her sister agreed. They will be over tomorrow so I am making these as a just because. They are fantastic.
Thank you, Ruth! I hope you have a great time with your daughters!
Hello, I love your reciepes but perfer not using box mix.. I have a Vanilla cake receipe. To add the pudding mix in, should I alternate the eggs, oil and water mix for yours thats listed on this reciepe? I love using pudding mix but havent figured out how to convert it into a from scratch reciepe.
I am a fanatic lover of strawberry cupcakes that i sometimes call myself strawberry cupcake.:) I have baked just about most strawberry cupcake recipes so will give this one a try and let you know how i go.
Have you ever tried making a cake with this recipe? If so how did it turn out?
Jackie-
I have never made this recipe into a cake. Sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie