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Strawberry Filled Cupcakes featuring vanilla bean cupcakes filled with honey-strawberry jam and topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For Vanilla Bean Cupcakes:
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • For Honey-Strawberry Jam:
  • 12 oz strawberries
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • For Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)
  • pinch salt
  • 0.8 oz freeze dried strawberries
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease two muffin pans or line with papers.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping sides as needed.
  4. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing fully after each addition.
  5. Add vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.
  6. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients, blending gently each time.
  7. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling about three-quarters full.
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Toothpick inserted should come out clean.
  9. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before proceeding.
  10. For Jam: In a saucepan, combine strawberries, honey, lemon juice, and salt. Heat over medium-high until boiling.
  11. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
  12. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla bean paste. Let cool; jam will thicken further.
  13. For Frosting: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to a fine powder; set aside.
  14. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
  15. Add vanilla bean paste, strawberry extract (optional), and salt; mix well.
  16. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, blending as you go.
  17. Mix in strawberry powder for color and flavor.
  18. Adjust consistency with milk or more powdered sugar as needed.
  19. Assembly: Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a paring knife.
  20. Fill each hole with cooled strawberry jam.
  21. Trim bottom off removed piece and place top back on cupcake to cover jam.
  22. Pipe or spread strawberry cream cheese frosting over cupcakes.
  23. Optionally, garnish with fresh strawberries.
  24. Enjoy!

Notes

Cake flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour but may yield less tender cupcakes., If no buttermilk is available, make a substitute by adding 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk and letting it rest 5 minutes., Vanilla bean paste can be replaced with equal amount of vanilla extract., Fresh strawberries are preferred for the jam, but frozen can be used with longer cook time., Strawberry extract in frosting is optional; freeze-dried strawberry powder provides strong flavor., Freeze-dried strawberries are recommended for frosting powder as dried strawberries contain too much moisture., Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months; filled and frosted cupcakes should be refrigerated for 3-5 days due to cream cheese., Jam can be made ahead of time and stored refrigerated., Use store-bought jam as a time-saving alternative, ensuring it is cooled before filling., Cupcakes should be cooled completely before coring and filling to avoid soggy centers.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/strawberry-filled-cupcakes/