Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

This strawberry cake recipe has been around for decades and it never disappoints. It’s light and fluffy, loaded with real strawberries and topped with a luscious strawberry buttercream frosting! And best of all this cake is ridiculously easy to make.

I seldom (almost never) buy boxed cake mixes and the same for Jell-O. But there are certain recipes that require an exception to the rule and this strawberry cake is a very good reason for such an exception. My Grandmother Grace Pearl never made plain gelatin but she often used it to make glorious cold salads or delightful desserts. This is one example of such a dessert!

This is a cake I’ve made for years and I’m fortunate enough to still have Grace Pearl’s handwritten version taped to the inside of one of her cookbooks. I made this cake frequently for Emily on Valentine’s Day. Her first year in college I baked this cake in my Grandmother’s cake pan – you know, the metal ones with the plastic snap-on lids – and shipped it to Auburn. Her friends thought her Mother was crazy, but as I remember hearing, they grabbed a fork and dug right in!

The base for the cake starts with a white cake mix. The original recipe called for a 20-ounce package but through the years the boxed cake mixes have gotten smaller by weight. So get one as close as you can find to 20-ounces. The most common size seems to be 16.25-ounces. The strawberry flavor is ramped up with a small box of strawberry gelatin, with added richness from whole eggs.

The buttercream frosting is a blend of creamy butter, powdered sugar, a splash of pure vanilla extract, and strawberries. The recipe makes a very soft frosting, perfect for the cupcakes or a 9” x 13” cake.

This perfectly pink cake offers a sweet, delicate bite that’s quite wonderful. What a delicious way to spread love on Valentine’s Day, to lend a sparkle to the holidays, or provide a spectacular addition to any special birthday. No matter your baking skills this is one heirloom recipe you’ll want to keep and pass down!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

For the cupcakes:

1 package frozen strawberries, 10-ounces, thawed

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 package white cake mix, 16 to 20-ounces (get as close to 20 ounces as possible)

1 small package strawberry gelatin, 3-ounces

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

4 extra-large eggs, room temperature

Gently crush the strawberries to release the juices, blending the berries and the juice. Divide the berries in half, saving one-half for the frosting. Take 1 tablespoon from the berries reserved for the frosting and mix with enough water to measure ½ cup.

In a large mixing bowl add the flour, the cake mix and the strawberry gelatin. Mix together until it’s well blended. Add the ½ cup strawberry-water and the vegetable oil, blending together on low-speed.

Still using low speed, add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each one. Then beat the batter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the remaining portion of berries reserved for the cake.

Fill 24 lined muffin cups, each about ¾ full or pour the batter into a 13” x 9” x 2” cake pan that has been sprayed with a cooking spray. Bake the cake at 350-degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the cupcakes around 18 minutes baking time.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Make sure the cake or cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

1 cup butter, (2 sticks) at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

3-½ cups powdered sugar, sifted to remove any lumps

4 to 5 tablespoons of the reserved strawberries

Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla extract and the kosher salt then blend into the butter on low speed. Still using low speed, mix in 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Add 4 tablespoons of the reserved berries and the remaining powdered sugar, blending in a cup at a time.

Continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

If you want a softer frosting add more of the reserved berries. This makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes or one 9″ x 13″ cake.