These Strawberry Filled Cupcakes are eggless vanilla cupcakes that are filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a strawberry buttercream! They're sweet and delicious and perfect for all you strawberry lovers! Best part is, they're also gluten free, nut free and easily can be vegan!
These filled strawberry cupcakes are soft, sweet and beautiful to look at! They're so delicious...no one would ever guess they're eggless, nut free and gluten free! My daughter is strawberry obsessed and she adores these!
For more strawberry recipes, try my Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake, my Strawberry Jam Cookies, my No-Bake Strawberry Pie, my Strawberry Sugar Cookies, my Vanilla Strawberry Cake and my Eggless Strawberry Cake.
Reasons to Love These Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
- Allergy Friendly- These cupcakes are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Fluffy- The cupcakes are super soft and delicious.
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up in just one large bowl with a whisk like my Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes!
- Strawberries- There are fresh strawberries in the inside of the cupcakes and on top and real strawberries (no strawberry extract) in the frosting!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Pure Vanilla Extract- Make sure the vanilla you use is pure and gf.
- Vegetable Oil- Adds moisture into these cupcakes; there is no butter or vegan baking stick.
- White Vinegar- Helps make the cupcakes rise.
- Strawberries- We cut up 4 fresh strawberries into tiny pieces for the filling, use more fresh strawberries on top and use fresh or frozen strawberries in the frosting.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter in the frosting.
- Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your sprinkles to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 ¼ packed cups of AP flour (378 grams).
- Only use 1 ½ cups of milk.
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
Here are the step by step instructions to make these strawberry stuffed cupcakes!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix Together the Wet Ingredients and Brown Sugar
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients into the Dry
Slowly add the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to a spatula but it should be fairly liquidy.
Step 4: Fill the Cupcake Tins
Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. Then smooth the tops with a small knife.
Step 5: Bake the Cupcakes and Cool
Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-28 minutes or until tops of the cupcakes are golden brown and spring back at you when carefully touched.
Then let the cupcakes cool almost completely in the pan before trying to remove them.
Step 6: Cook the Strawberries and Sugar
In a saucepan set over medium heat, cook the granulated sugar and strawberries until they are syrupy. 5-8 min. It will still appear chunky and that’s fine.
Step 7: Strain the Strawberries and Cool
Set a mesh colander over a bowl. Pour the strawberry liquid through the strainer and set aside to let cool.
Step 8: Make the Strawberry Frosting
Beat the butter until smooth; about 2 minutes.
Then slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar, salt, the cooled strained strawberry liquid (4 tablespoons) and the vanilla until smooth and combined.
Then beat in the water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use it all.
Step 9: Make Holes in the Cupcakes and Fill
Push down in the center of the cool cupcakes but not all the way to the bottom.
Wash 4 large strawberries, cut off the tops and then slice them into teeny tiny pieces. Each piece should be the size of your pinky nail or smaller.
Fill the hole all the way to the top. Each cupcake will only fit about ¼ of a strawberry cut up.
Step 10: Frost the Cupcakes and Add Sprinkles (If Desired), Chill and Add Strawberries
Pipe the strawberry buttercream on top of each cupcake or frost with an icing spatula and add sprinkles.
Chill for 5-10 minutes.
After the cupcakes have chilled, then gently push a fresh washed strawberry down into the middle of the each cupcake.
If you push the strawberry into the frosting and it's not chilled, the frosting will ooze all over the place.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
- Smooth the Batter- Many gluten free batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. When the batter is in the cupcake pan, gently smooth the tops with a butter knife prior to baking.
- Use Paper Muffin Liners- It will ensure you're able to get the cupcakes out of the tins. If you don't have any paper liners, grease each cupcake tin with vegetable oil prior to adding the batter.
- Cool the Cupcakes- Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely prior to frosting them. If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, the frosting will become a liquid mess.
- Use Fresh/Frozen Strawberries when Making the Buttercream- Many people make strawberry frosting with freeze dried strawberries. When I was looking for freeze dried ones I discovered many companies make them in facilities that also process gluten and nuts. The safer route is to use fresh or frozen.
- Making The Frosting- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to stay put on the cupcakes and not run off. If the frosting appears too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time. Make sure your butter isn't too soft. It should be room temperature, not softened. If you're using vegan butter, make sure it is on the colder side.
Recipe FAQs
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cupcakes the night before, as long as you do not fill them!
If making the night before, make the wells and then keep the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to fill and frost.
If you try to keep the filled cupcakes overnight, you will wake up to a wet mess.
Yes! You can make the frosting the night before.
Store it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
When ready to use, bring the frosting to room temperature and rewhip if you want to regain that creaminess.
Not at all!
You can either not fill them at all, or you can fill them with more strawberry buttercream (you'll need to double the buttercream recipe).
If filling them with strawberry buttercream, you can make them the night before but don't add the strawberry on top until ready to serve.
Storing: The cupcakes will not keep after they have been filled with strawberries, so if you need to make them ahead of time, make the cupcakes and make the wells. Then store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to eat, fill the cupcakes with the strawberries and then frost them.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing the cupcakes once they are assembled.
The strawberries will be very wet as they defrost, making the inside of the cupcakes a wet mess.
More Cupcake Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 2 ¼ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 22 fresh strawberries , large
- white sprinkles , for filling and decorating
For The Frosting
- 1 ¾ cups quartered strawberries , fresh or frozen
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
For The Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a regular size muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the 2 ¼ cups multipurpose gluten free flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups milk, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. It if gets too thick, switch to a spatula but it should be fairly liquidy.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. Smooth the tops with a small knife.
- Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-28 minutes or until tops of the cupcakes are golden brown and spring back at you when carefully touched.
- Let the cupcakes cool almost completely in the pan before trying to remove them.
For The Strawberry Frosting
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the 1 ¾ cups quartered strawberries and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have liquified a bit and the sugar has dissolved. Use the back of your spoon to mash the strawberries apart.
- Set a strainer or a mesh colander over a bowl and strain the strawberry liquid. You don’t want any of the seeds, you just want the liquid. You should have about 4 tablespoons of liquid.
- With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, beat the ½ cup room temperature unsalted butter until creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat in the 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, strained strawberry liquid (4 tablespoons), 1 pinch kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and combined. Slowly add in the 3 tablespoons water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.If the strawberry liquid solidified a bit prior to using, that’s ok. Just use a spatula to scrape it into your mixing bowl.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, make the holes for the strawberry filling.If you have piping bags with tips, you can use that to make the holes.If not, using a clean thumb, simply push down in the center of the cupcakes but not all the way to the bottom.
- Wash 4 large strawberries, cut off the tops and then slice them into teeny tiny pieces. Each strawberry piece should be the size of your pinky nail or smaller.
- Fill the hole in the cupcake with the strawberry pieces, all the way to the top. Each cupcake will only fit about ¼ of 1 strawberry cut up.
Decorate the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes are filled, If you have piping bags, pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.If you don’t have piping bags, put a thin layer of strawberry frosting on top of each cupcake.
- If you frosted the cupcakes by hand, pop the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes to let that thin layer harden. This is your crumb layer so that when you frost the tops of the cupcakes, the strawberries don't ooze out and get all over the place.If you have a piping bag, you don’t need the crumb layer or this step.
- Immediately after finishing frosting the cupcakes, add the white sprinkles so they stick to the frosting.
- Then, pop the cupcakes in the fridge to chill for about 5-10 minutes. If you push the strawberry into the frosting and it's not chilled, the frosting will ooze all over the place.
- After the cupcakes have chilled for 5-10 minutes, gently push a fresh washed strawberry down into the middle of the each cupcake so the tip of the strawberry goes a little into that hole we carved. This way the strawberry will stay put.
Maggie says
This cake was the best vegan cake I have ever made! My daughter was so impressed how good it was! I usually buy her vegan cakes because I didn’t have a good recipe but not anymore! I can’t wait to try more! Thank you!
Lee says
I am so so glad! Thank you so much!!!
John says
What a perfect treat for Spring Birthdays!