These sweet, fluffy and moist cupcakes are incredibly easy to make with the help of a box of cake mix. Strawberry Cupcakes are topped with a luscious and creamy strawberry buttercream frosting to send this dessert over the edge.

I’m all about easy recipes with shortcuts and this strawberry cupcake recipe with cake mix fits the bill perfectly. Make your own sweet homemade strawberry buttercream to really send this dessert over the top.

They make the perfect cupcake for Valentine’s day with their pretty pink color. Really though, you could enjoy them anytime of year!

You don’t even have to worry about finding fresh strawberries in season. This recipe uses strawberry jam in the cupcakes and freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting. 

Each bite is light, fluffy and bursting with strawberry flavor. Yum!

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

• Made with cake mix with a few delicious add-ins
• No need to use fresh strawberries so they can be made year-round
• Sweet, light and fluffy
• Can decorate the cupcakes to your liking
• Kids love them
• Perfect treat for Valentine’s day
• Ready to eat in just over 30 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Cupcakes

• Box vanilla cake mix – I used Betty Crocker’s Vanilla Cake Mix because it’s light and moist.
• White chocolate chips 
• Eggs – I use large eggs.
• Milk – I use 2% milk.
• Water
• Strawberry jam – Use your favorite jam. I used Smucker’s jam, but have made them before with organic and homemade jam and they were equally delicious.

Strawberry Buttercream

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• Freeze-dried strawberries – Target sells the freeze-dried strawberry slices and you can also find them at Amazon. Add them to a blender and pulse until they become a powder.
• Powdered sugar
• Butter – I use salted butter because it helps bring out the sweetness of the strawberries.
• Milk – I use 2% milk
• Vanilla extract

How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes

Step One: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a cupcake pan or use cupcake liners.

Step Two: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and white chocolate chips. Mix well.

Step Three: In a medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, water, milk, and jam. Mix until combined.

Step Four: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture while using a hand mixer on low speed. Mix until all the dry mixture is incorporated.

Step Five: Pour the mixture into the prepared cupcake pan.

Step Six: Bake for 14 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean out of the center of a cupcake.

Step Seven: Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

How to Make Strawberry Buttercream

Step One: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the powdered sugar and the powdered strawberries. Set aside.

Step Two: In a large bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer, until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step Three: Add milk and keep mixing until the milk and the butter are combined (about 20 seconds).

Step Four: Add about one-third of the sugar mixture and carefully mix to combine the sugar with the butter mixture.

Step Five: Repeat step 4 until you have used all the sugar and it’s well mixed.

Step Six: Pipe or spread the buttercream on top of the cupcakes.

Equipment Needed to Make the Best Strawberry Cupcakes

• Mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Blender
• Wilton piping bag
• Piping Tip
• Cupcake pan

What to Serve with Strawberry Cupcakes with Cake Mix

• Strawberry Ice Cream
• Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie
• Strawberry Agua Fresca

Variations

• Try a yellow cake mix instead of the vanilla cake mix.
• Omit the white chocolate chips.
• Substitute the white chocolate chips with mini chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips.
• Use mashed fresh strawberries instead of jam.
• Can’t find freeze-dried strawberries? Use mashed fresh strawberries or mashed frozen strawberries (thawed) instead.

Storage Instructions

How to Store Leftover Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes are decorated, you can store them for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. You can also store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 to 6 days.

Can I Make Ahead?

Yes, you can make the cupcakes ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Pipe the strawberry buttercream frosting on them right before you plan to serve.

Can I Freeze?

I don’t recommend freezing the cupcakes after they’ve been decorated. 

You can freeze just the cupcakes (minus the buttercream frosting) if you like for up to 3 months if stored properly.

Different Ways to Decorate the Cupcakes

• Put the frosting in a piping bag with a tip of your choice and pipe the frosting on top of the cupcake.
• If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic Ziplock bag. Put the frosting in the bag and cut the corner. Be careful to not cut too small of a hole or your frosting will come out like string. If you cut it too big, it will be like a big ribbon. I usually cut around 1/2 inch or less.
• Use an offset spatula or a butter knife and spread the frosting on top of the cupcake.
• Decorate them however you like! You can leave them as is, or jazz them up with strawberries on top, or even sprinkles.

Cupcake Recipes

• Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
• Oreo Cupcakes
• Reese’s Cupcakes
• Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

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