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These small batch strawberry cupcakes are full of incredible strawberry flavor in each bite! Both the cupcakes and the frosting are made with freeze dried strawberries. These will be your new favorite strawberry cupcake recipe and they bake in only 15 minutes!
For the first new recipe of 2024, I am sharing the most popular recipe in my house, these small batch strawberry cupcakes. My kids ask to make them weekly, and they love eating the frosting with a spoon.
Normally when I make strawberry recipes, I use fresh strawberries. Like in my strawberry almond milk or strawberry crisp recipes. But for this cupcake recipe, I used freeze dried strawberries. This allows for more strawberry flavor in the frosting and cupcakes, without changing the texture of them.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- The strawberry flavor here is amazing! Not only is the cupcake strawberry flavored, but so is the frosting.
- Speaking of frosting, the strawberry frosting in this recipe is hands down one of the best tasting of all time.
- It is a small batch recipe! You’ll only get 6 cupcakes here, which is great if you aren’t looking to bake 12 cupcakes.
- This recipe is a crowd pleaser and great for kids.
Recipe ingredients
- Butter– use a good quality butter for both the cake and the frosting.
- Flour– make sure to use all purpose flour for this recipe.
- Freeze dried strawberries– use a new package of freeze dried strawberries so that they are crispy and easy to turn into powdered form.
- Baking powder– this helps the cupcakes rise.
- Egg– the egg in this recipe binds the batter together.
- Sugar– you can use regular granulated sugar or cane sugar in this recipe.
- Vanilla– your vanilla extract can have alcohol in it or not.
- Milk– you can use regular milk or almond milk here interchangeably.
- Powdered sugar– this is needed to make the frosting.
- Heavy cream– or half and half both work for the frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Put your freeze dried strawberries into a food processor.
Step 2: Mix the freeze dried strawberries until they turn into powder.
Add them to the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Step 3: Whisk the egg and cane sugar together. Then add the vanilla and melted butter.
Step 4: Pour half of the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix. Add the milk and mix. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix.
Step 5: Evenly distribute the cupcake batter into 6 muffin tins.
Step 6: Bake!
Step 7: Put the softened butter, powdered sugar, powdered freeze dried strawberries, vanilla extract, and heavy cream into a food processor.
Step 8: Mix until frosting forms.
Step 9: Frost and decorate your cucpakes.
Expert tips
- Measure the flour using the knife technique.
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Do not pack your flour!
- Don’t overmix!
- It is important not to overmix the cupcakes at any point so that they bake with the right texture.
- Using a silicone muffin pan makes it easier to pop out the cupcakes when they are baked.
- Make sure your oven rack is in the top 1/3 of your oven or else the cupcakes won’t bake as needed.
- Don’t use old freeze dried strawberries or a bag that has been open a while. Once the bag has been opened, they tend to absorb moisture and won’t turn into a smooth powder.
- To soften cold refrigerated butter for the frosting, pop it into the microwave for 20 seconds.
- For the frosting, you don’t need to clean out your food processor after powdering the freeze dried strawberries. Having a little extra in there isn’t an issue.
- To store: Store in an airtight container for 2 days or refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQs
I can only find freeze dried strawberries in stores. But online they do sell it already in powder form.
You may not use it all for your cupcakes. I like to eat it with a spoon, or slather it onto a piece of toast.
With dye free sprinkles or more freeze dried strawberries on top!
Other strawberry recipes you’ll love:
This Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake by Life After Wheat looks delish!
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Small Batch Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry cupcake ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled with a knife (make sure NOT to pack the flour)
- 1/3 cup powdered freeze dried strawberries, (Put freeze dried strawberries into a food processor and mix until in powder form)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup milk, (or almond milk)
Strawberry frosting ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
- 1/3 cup powdered freeze dried strawberries, (Put freeze dried strawberries into a food processor and mix until in powder form)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Make sure your oven rack is in the top 1/3 of the oven.
- Grease a silicone muffin pan OR add 6 liners to a 12 cup muffin pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup strawberry powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg and 1/4 cup sugar for about 30 seconds. Add the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 4 Tablespoons melted butter and whisk until well combined.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Add 1/4 cup of milk, and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Bake for 14-18 mins, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean or with just a couple dry crumbs.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, put 4 Tablespoons of softened butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, and 1/3 cup powdered freeze dried strawberries into a food processor and mix until frosting forms.
- To decorate the cupcakes, spread frosting on top of cupcakes with a knife OR pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a pastry bag and nozzle.
Notes
- Don’t use old freeze dried strawberries or a bag that has been open a while. Once the bag has been opened, they tend to absorb moisture and won’t turn into a smooth powder.
- To soften cold refrigerated butter for the frosting, pop it into the microwave for 20 seconds.
- For the frosting, you don’t need to clean out your food processor after powdering the freeze dried strawberries. Having a little extra in there isn’t an issue.
- To store: Store in an airtight container for 2 days or refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
