Small Batch Strawberry Cupcakes
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These from-scratch small batch strawberry cupcakes are soft and full of real strawberry flavor. Fresh strawberry puree is reduced to concentrate flavor, and the easy mixer batter bakes into 6 naturally pink cupcakes in about an hour. Finish with a swirl of strawberry buttercream for bakery-style cupcakes perfect for smaller celebrations.
FEATURED REVIEW
“Great cupcakes, and the perfect amount for us. I highly recommend using the strawberry frosting on this site too. They make a perfect pair. Thanks for the recipe!” ★★★★★ Vivian
Strawberry Cupcakes Snapshot
- Yield: 6 cupcakes
- Total Time: About 40 minutes (plus puree cooling time)
- Flavors: Delicate, fresh strawberry in a vanilla-scented cupcake
- Texture: Fine, moist crumb with a light lift
- Method Highlight: Reduced strawberry puree for deeper flavor and color
- Best For: Small celebrations, couples date night, anytime you want a good cupcake without baking a full dozen
- ✨Why Bake These: Real strawberry flavor, easy prep, perfectly scaled
I’m always paying attention to feedback from my readers (thank you!) — especially when it comes to flavor. When I first published these small batch strawberry cupcakes in 2020, a few readers mentioned the strawberry wasn’t as pronounced as they expected. That sent me back into the kitchen to test and refine the recipe.
Instead of relying on artificial extracts or folding in chopped strawberries, I focused on building flavor throughout the entire batter. While pieces of fruit can be lovely for texture, they only give you pockets of strawberry. For these cupcakes, I wanted the berry flavor to permeate every bite.
The solution: fresh strawberry puree reduced by half on the stovetop. This intensifies the flavor, and it removes excess moisture so you don’t end up with gummy cupcakes.
I also updated the mixing method to the same technique I use for my lemon cupcakes for two and my six-inch vanilla cake. It keeps the crumb plush, which lets that strawberry flavor shine. The result is a cupcake that tastes unmistakably like strawberry — with a pink crumb to match.
How To Make Strawberry Puree for Cupcakes
For the brightest flavor, I prefer fresh strawberries to make the puree. However, frozen and thawed berries will work if not in season.
Blitz the strawberries in a small blender until smooth (my Nutri-Bullet is a favorite for small batches), and if you’re not a fan of seeds, strain the puree before cooking.
Use a small blender to make the puree. 
A strainer will remove unwanted seeds.
The strawberry sauce is heated gently until it’s thick – similar to applesauce or yogurt – and it needs to cool completely to blend into the batter. You can speed this up by refrigerating it for about 30 minutes, or make it ahead of time and bring it to room temperature when you’re ready to bake.
If you’re looking for more ways to put fresh strawberries to work, this collection of small batch desserts for two has everything from no-bake icebox cake to seasonal fruit favorites.
How To Make Strawberry Cupcakes
Now that we have our strawberries ready, it’s time to make the cupcakes.
All of the dry ingredients, including the sugar, are mixed first in the mixing bowl. And I highly recommend not skipping the salt — it balances the sweetness and helps the flavor shine. Add the butter cubes and mix until the butter breaks down and coats the flour, and the consistency resembles coarse sand.
This is where the reverse creaming method comes in.
Butter is added with dry ingredients in reverse creaming. The texture will look sandy after you mix the flour and butter.
Why I Use The Reverse Creaming Method
Instead of creaming the butter and sugar first, the butter is mixed directly into the dry ingredients. Coating the flour limits gluten development and produces cupcakes that are soft and light. And for these cupcakes, that texture is important since we are adding an extra ingredient, like concentrated strawberry, to the batter.
I first learned this technique from watching Food Network. After further research, I found that Rose Levy Beranbaum perfected the method for making cakes.
All of the wet ingredients, including the strawberry, are combined in a separate bowl. Mixing the wet ingredients first ensures the egg and strawberry are fully emulsified.
To get the best texture, the wet ingredients are added to the dry in two steps, with at least a minute of mixing after each addition. This ensures the ingredients are well combined to create the proper cupcake structure.
Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full to allow them to properly rise. And you’ll know the cupcakes are done baking when they are springy to the touch.
The natural color of the batter will soften as the cupcakes bake. If you’re looking for vibrant pink, add a drop or two of food coloring — just enough to enhance the hue without making it look artificial.
The Finished Cupcakes
You’ll pull six beautifully domed cupcakes from the oven — sturdy enough to support a generous swirl of frosting, with a tender crumb that holds together cleanly. That structure is important, and it’s exactly what the reverse creaming method delivers.
For frosting, I recommend the small batch strawberry buttercream for double the berry flavor. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting or removing the liners. Peeling too soon causes sticking, especially with inexpensive liners. I’ve learned this the hard way. 😉
These pretty cupcakes are a favorite in my house. If it’s a special occasion, or just a random Tuesday, they typically make an appearance when we want to indulge in something a little strawberry!
Did You Make It? Let’s Hear About It!
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If you give these a try, leave a review and let me know how they turned out for you. I read every comment — and they help me make these small batch recipes even better!
Small Batch Strawberry Cupcakes
by Erin Cernich
Ingredients
- 6 ounces strawberries, fresh or frozen (about 3/4 cup)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons milk, room temperature (whole or 2%)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust oven rack to the middle position. Line a muffin pan with 6 cupcake liners.
- In a blender or food processor, pulse the strawberries to a puree. Add the puree to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it is reduced by half (6 tablespoons). The strawberry sauce will be thick, almost like applesauce. Optional – Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer set over the saucepan to remove the seeds.6 ounces strawberries, fresh or frozen
- Transfer the strawberry puree to a small bowl and refrigerate to cool completely – at least 30 minutes. The puree needs time to cool down so the butter doesn't melt and the egg doesn't scramble! Note – You can also make the strawberry puree ahead of time – like the night before – and bring to room temperature when ready to make the cupcakes.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Give the dry ingredients a quick mix to combine. Note – If using a stand mixer, I recommend the 3-quart mixing bowl (link above) for the small batch batter. Otherwise, you can use a hand mixer and medium mixing bowl.3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed until the butter is broken up and the mix resembles coarse sand. About 1 to 2 minutes.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk to mix the egg, then add the strawberry puree and whisk until well combined.3 tablespoons milk, room temperature, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 6 ounces strawberries, fresh or frozen
- Turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle half the wet ingredients into the dry and mix for about 90 seconds. The batter will be thick and smooth. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining wet ingredients and keep mixing for another minute.
- Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Tip – Use a small cookie scoop to help with portioning and less mess!
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely before frosting. The cupcakes are great with the small batch strawberry frosting.
Notes
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled.
- Stand Mixer – For the cupcakes and frosting, you can use your stand mixer with a standard bowl and attachments. However, because this is a small batch recipe, both cupcake batter and frosting will mix more evenly when you use a 3-quart mixing bowl.
- Reverse Creaming Method – You will notice we mix the butter and sugar with the other dry ingredients first. This method limits gluten development and yields fluffy cupcakes.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – It is important all of the cold ingredients are brought to room temp so they can properly emulsify. Which is anywhere from 65F to 72F degrees. Take them out of the fridge about 30 to 60 minutes before using.
- Make Into A Cake – The recipe will work to make a small single- layer 6-inch cake using a round 6-inch cake pan.
- Storing – Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, and frosted cupcakes for up to 2 days. After that, I recommend refrigerating because of the frosting.
- Freezing – The baked, unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve.
Nutrition Estimates
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About the Author …
Hi, I’m Erin! With years of experience baking for two in my own small household, I know about the love for desserts without the leftovers. I’ve tested, written, and photographed every one of the 300+ recipes on my website. And even had some of my desserts featured on Taste of Home, The Spruce Eats, ELLE, Parade, and more! From traditional to gluten free desserts for two, I have the recipe for you.
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If I double the recipe will I be able to make a 9 inch two layer cake?
Hi Mary – A 9-inch, 2 layer cake is pretty big. You’d probably need to triple the recipe for a cake that size.
Type here.. Is it a must to use vanilla extract
No, you can omit it.
I followed the recipe but it was lacking flavor. I can barely taste the strawberry.
I made this tonight because my son & I picked a handful of tiny wild strawberries & then he found a discarded cupcake after a school graduation. Logic followed that he NEEDED a cupcake. I ended up using strawberry jam instead of strawberry purée and the recipe came out awesome. Thank you!
Love this! Thank you Rachel – so glad you and your son enjoyed the cupcakes!
Disappointing. The actual cake wasn’t soft like I thought it would be and it was lacking flavor
Sorry the cupcakes didn’t work for you.
Great cupcakes, and the perfect amount for us. I highly recommend using the strawberry frosting on this site too. They make a perfect pair. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you!!