Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting

These heavenly Strawberry Filled Cupcakes are topped with a velvety Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting and truly taste like strawberries and cream!

Strawberries and cream in a cupcake? Yes please! These Strawberry Filled Cupcakes made with a homemade fresh strawberry filling and topped with mascarpone buttercream frosting are the perfect sweet recipe for the upcoming strawberry season.

These are a true flavor definition of strawberries and cream.

With a combination of vanilla, real strawberries, and mascarpone buttercream, you can't go wrong.

The base for these cupcakes is a simple vanilla sponge, which is then filled with a sweet fresh-strawberry filling and topped with velvety mascarpone-buttercream frosting and topped with fresh strawberries and white chocolate shavings.

Ingredients and Variations

For the moist vanilla cupcake sponge base, you will need:

The Dry Ingredients - Flour (all-purpose or cake flour are fine), baking powder (leavening agent), and salt.

Butter - Unsalted room temperature butter (softened) for a soft, airy sponge.

Sugar - Caster or granulated sugar.

Egg - For binding and texture. Use a room temperature egg.

Vanilla Extract - Use good quality vanilla extract for the best flavour.

Milk - Semi-skimmed or whole dairy milk for the liquid part of these cupcakes. Use room temperature milk, if possible.

For the strawberry filling, you will need:

Fresh Strawberries - Washed, hulled and diced.

Sugar - Granulated or caster sugar.

Cornstarch - Or cornflour, as a thickening agent. Make sure to dissolve cornstarch in a tablespoon of cold water rather than adding it directly to the mixture.

For the Mascarpone Buttercream frosting, you will need:

Mascarpone - Use straight out of the refrigerator.

Butter - Unsalted butter (cubed) softened to room temperature.

Icing Sugar - Or powdered sugar, sifted.

Heavy Cream - You may need this to thin the buttercream consistency.

These cupcakes are topped with halved fresh strawberries and white chocolate shavings (optional). You can also add other toppings such as sprinkles, milk/dark chocolate shavings, and crushed nuts such as pistachios.

How to Make Strawberry Filled Cupcakes

1. Cupcake Sponge
   
   To make the batter, beat the butter and sugar - you can use a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer.
   Add the egg and vanilla and mix well until combined (this will take 1-2 minutes).
   
   Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) alternating with the milk in two additions and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
   
   Divide the cupcake batter between 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin and bake the sponge for 18-22 minutes in a preheated oven at 175°C (350F).
   
   Transfer to a wire rack and let the sponge cool completely before filling. In the meantime, prep the filling and frosting.
   
2. Strawberry Filling
   
   To make the strawberry cupcake filling, wash, hull and dice the strawberries.
   Place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and some cornstarch dissolved in water.
   
   Bring to a simmer and once the strawberries are softened, mash them up slightly using a fork or a potato masher, to release some juice.
   
   Simmer for 4-5 minutes them remove from heat and transfer the filling to a glass bowl. Chill the filling until ready to use.
   
3. Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting
   
   Place the mascarpone (straight from the refrigerator) and softened cubed softened butter in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
   
   Mix on medium-high speed for 30 seconds or so until combined.
   
   Slowly add sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream until the frosting has a pipeable consistency.
   
   Transfer the frosting to a refrigerator if not using immediately. If using immediately, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or your favourite frosting tip.
   
4. Assembly
   
   Core/cut out a small cone-shaped circle from the center of each cupcake sponge. You can use the back of a large piping tip to do this, but be careful not to cut all the way to the bottom.
   
   Fill the middle of each cupcake with 1-2 teaspoons. of cooled strawberry filling and top with some of the cut out sponge to seal the top.
   
   Frost the cupcakes with mascarpone-buttercream frosting.
   
   Top with halved strawberries and chocolate shavings as desired.
   
   Store the cupcakes in a refrigerator until ready to serve.

Making Ahead and Storing

If not serving immediately, refrigerate frosted strawberry cupcakes in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.

These cupcakes are great to make ahead, as long as you store them in a refrigerator.

You can also prepare and bake the cupcake sponge ahead and then fill and frost them right before serving.

The mascarpone frosting tends to solidify once refrigerated, thereby ensuring that the frosting will hold its shape beautifully.

The mascarpone frosting can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. You may need to whip up the frosting slightly before piping it if it becomes stiff.

Storing Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting

Any food product containing mascarpone needs to be refrigerated immediately after preparing. Mascarpone has a very high fat content and is prone to splitting easily and become runny at room temperature, especially in warmer temperatures.

Use mascarpone straight from the fridge or after leaving it at room temperature for not more than 2-5 minutes.

FAQs

Other Strawberry Recipes

Vegan Strawberry Muffins

Strawberry Mascarpone Bruschetta

Eggless Strawberry Swirl Muffins