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Fresh juicy berries mixed into a soft vanilla cupcake topped with creamy whipped cream cheese frosting and more fresh berries to top off these Berries and Cream Cupcakes. Delicious and perfect for summer!
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Berries and Cream Cupcakes
Why they’re awesome
Why Do You Use Cake Flour?
Cake flour is finer, lighter, softer, and contains less gluten than all-purpose flour. Because of this, it will create a finer, softer crumb in a cake.
Think about the chewiness of freshly baked bread or soft pretzel versus the light airiness in a great cake. That’s because bread and pretzels are made with all-purpose and an excellent cake is made with cake flour.
Both flours have their place, but you definitely want that soft, delicate feel in your cake from cake flour.
What Kind of Berries Do You Use?
For these berries and cream cupcakes, I used fresh strawberries and blueberries. However, you can use fresh OR frozen. If you’re using frozen, don’t thaw!
You can also change the type of berries based on the season or sale prices. You can use all strawberries, all blueberries, or mix in some blackberries or raspberries. As long as it measures out to 1 cup, use any berries you want!
What Does “Cut In” Mean?
No, we’re not going to dance. To cut in butter with flour means to combine the butter into the flour in such a way that little lumps of the raw butter remain whole within the flour mixture. In other words, you should have little pea-sized butter clumps in your flour mixture.
This process is a technique used in making pie crust and biscuits to make them flaky. However, I learned about this technique with cupcakes from a King Arthur Flour recipe, and fell in love with the results!
So to cut the butter in you can use one of four methods:
- Use a {{pastry blender}}. Also called a pastry cutter, and it kind of looks like it has fork tongs but it’s more round. This is the method I prefer, and the one shown in the video! I also think it’s the easiest.
- Use two butter knives. For a similar effect without having to buy a new gadget, use two butter knives to swipe and criss-cross each other to literally kind of cut the butter in.
- Use your fingers. This method is maybe the most finicky because you have to be careful to do it gently or you’ll end up with more of a dough than a crumb-like mixture.
- Use a food processor. Pulse the mixture until you have a crumb like mixture.
How to Make Berries and Cream Cupcakes
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Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line a standard muffin pan. Set aside.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 3: Add butter and cut in with a {{pastry blender}} until crumbly. Set aside. (If you need to see this process, be sure to watch the video here!)
Step 4: In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
Step 5: Add wet ingredients to dry in two additions, stirring between each addition.
Step 6: Gently fold in chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup blueberries.
Step 7: Scoop batter evenly into each muffin cup. Each cup should be about 2/3 full
Step 8: Bake cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.
Step 9: Remove the cupcakes from the oven. After 5 minutes, remove from pan to finish cooling before for frosting.
Step 10: Frost cupcakes with my favorite pipeable cream cheese frosting. Top with additional strawberries and blueberries.
Pro Tips:
Make sure that all of your dairy ingredients are at room temperature. If you’re a regular reader (or baker), you know this is so important. To cut down on time, many ignore this step but it’s crucial to obtaining the best possible cupcake in terms of taste and texture. Room temperature ingredients are smooth and evenly incorporated, which helps produce light, airy, evenly baked treats.
Use my suggested sifted mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. The two produce a DIY version of cake flour. You can, of course, just use cake flour! I’ve noted that in the recipe below. Cake flour (or the DIY version) produces a lighter, softer, and much fluffier cake.
How long will these Summer cupcakes last? These cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze these cupcakes? Yes, frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Cupcakes can be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Cover the frosting, and store in the fridge until ready to use. – beat frosting
- Don’t have cake flour? Don’t worry! {{Here’s a super easy cake flour substitute}} that I use all the time!
- Should I use fresh or frozen berries? While I prefer fresh summer berries, I know that it’s sometimes more convenient and cost-effective to use frozen berries. If you’re using frozen berries, don’t thaw them before baking. Thawing will make your cupcakes turn colors from the juices!
- How do I store these cupcakes?
- I love topping these cupcakes with my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe for a rich berries-and-cream flavor. You can also sub vanilla buttercream, strawberry buttercream, or blackberry buttercream if you prefer!
- I used a {{Wilton 1M tip}} to frost these cupcakes. For the pictures, I started piping in the middle like I was making a rose, then swirled around to cover the whole cupcake, going an extra time around the outer edge to make a bowl shape to hold the berries. In the video, I did a traditional cupcake swirl and just stuck the berries on top. So you can frost your cupcakes whichever way you like best!
More Summer Berry Recipes You’ll Love:
- Firecracker Cupcakes – more red, white, and blue fun! Kids LOVE these!
- Berry Cheesecake Salad – more berries and cream, but in creamy, cool salad form!
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes – made with fresh strawberries! We make these for birthday celebrations every year!
- Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting – classic fresh fruity flavors!
- Berry Spritzer – cool and refreshing!
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Berries and Cream Cupcakes
Berries and Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
For the frosting and decorating
- 1/2 batch my favorite cream cheese frosting
- Strawberries and blueberries for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Grease and line a standard muffin pan. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients (first 4) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add butter and cut in until crumbly. Set aside
- In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry in two additions, stirring between each addition.
- Gently fold in chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup blueberries.
- Scoop batter evenly into each muffin cup. Each cup should be about 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven. After 5 minutes, remove from pan to finish cooling before for frosting.
- Frost cupcakes with my favorite recipe for a pipeable cream cheese frosting.
- Top with additional strawberries and blueberries.
Nutrition
These Berries and Cream Cupcakes are made with a moist vanilla cupcake with strawberries and blueberries mixed in, filled with strawberry preserves, and topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and more fresh berries for a cupcake that is not only delicious, but perfect for summer!
Berries and Cream Cupcakes
Feeling a little springy this week, or maybe it’s just wishful thinking. But I wanted to share these pretty Berries and Cream Cupcakes that remind me of sunshine, fresh ripe berries, and a dreamy, creamy dessert.
These Berries and Cream Cupcakes are made with a basic fluffy vanilla cupcakes recipe with strawberries and blueberries folded into the batter and baked. This cupcake recipe is a little different than some cupcake recipes because it starts with the dry ingredients and then cuts in the butter. You can use a pastry cutter to do this. Even if you’ve never used one, it’s still really simple. You’re just trying to cut together the butter and sugar mixture to make it crumbly and combined. You can also use a fork or criss-cross two knives together to get the same effect. Of course, you’re also welcome to use store bought cake mix, but the homemade recipe is oh-so-much better.
The berry cupcakes are then topped with this super sweet and creamy cream cheese frosting. Then some more berries are nestled in on top. They turned out so pretty. And the red, white, and blue can be festive for 4th of July or Memorial Day too.
While we wait for summer, we can enjoy a fresh, creamy, decadent treat!
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