Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes

Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes are moist, decadent, and delicious. Using fresh strawberries, these cupcakes are made using just a few ingredients, and they come together in minutes. Served with fluffy cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are sure to be a crowd pleaser!

This recipe is the perfect way to use up fresh, ripe strawberries! The fresh strawberry flavor in this recipe make these light and moist cupcakes the perfect dessert to serve at your next party this summer. My kids absolutely love them!

These cupes are such a crowd pleaser, that you can rest assured there will be no leftovers! My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is made using no artificial strawberry flavor or color.

Are you looking for more delicious strawberry dessert recipes? Check out my Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, or for a sweet frozen treat, my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Bars are just the thing to try!

What are the Ingredients for Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes?

• Unsalted butter - be sure to use unsalted butter. This way you can control the amount of salt in your baked goods.
• Granulated sugar - use granulated sugar over brown sugar in this cupcake recipe.
• Whole eggs - I prefer to use pasture raised eggs when possible.

• Gluten free all-purpose flour - this is my favorite gluten free flour. To me, you can not tell the difference between this and regular flour!
• Coarse Kosher salt - Kosher salt adds more flavor than regular iodized salt.
• Baking powder - use this for leavening in all your cupcake recipes!
• Milk - you need just a bit of liquid to bring all the ingredients together.
• Vanilla extract - this is needed to add flavor to your cupcakes!

• Fresh strawberries - Fresh strawberries are used in this recipe. Sometimes strawberry cake or cupcakes uses strawberry jello for a powerful flavor and pink color. Fresh strawberries are equally delicious and add a fresh flavor.

• Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar is most often used in cream cheese frosting because it mixes well and creates a smooth frosting that is not grainy.
• Cream cheese - Be sure the cream cheese is room temperature!
• Unsalted butter - I like to use unsalted butter in frosting as well, so you can manage the level of saltiness in your baked goods.
• Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds the perfect addition of flavor in your cream cheese frosting.
• Coarse Kosher salt - I LOVE to add just a bit of salt to frosting recipes. It adds so much flavor!

How do I make Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes ?

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
2. Place the strawberries in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Gently mash with a fork, pastry cutter, or potato masher just until juices begin to release. Set aside.

1. Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions.

1. Once all the eggs have been added, increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, mix together the milk and vanilla extract.
2. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, and add ½ of the milk mixture, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour mixture and remaining milk mixture. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until just combined, again scraping down the bowl as needed.

1. Once the wet and dry ingredients have been added, fold in the strawberries until well combined.

1. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Place the cupcakes in the oven, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the muffin springs back when gently pressed in the center (you can also insert a toothpick in the center, and pull the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean). Let the muffins cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

1. For the frosting, place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until it becomes smooth. Add the butter, and beat on high until well combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
2. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn the mixer on low until all the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, and then turn the mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and turn the mixer on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Recipe Substitutions

• Freeze-dried strawberries - you can substitute freeze-dried strawberries for the fresh strawberries. If you choose to substitute freeze-dried strawberries, I recommend increasing the milk from ⅓ cup to ½ cup.
• Frozen strawberries - substitute frozen strawberries in a 1:1 ratio as fresh strawberries. If using frozen strawberries, you can skip the microwave step of softening the strawberries.
• Other berries - If you want to use strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries in this recipe, go right ahead! You can even use a combination of berries, or follow the recipe for my Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake!

Ways to Serve Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes

• Cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese frosting recipe listed is perfect with this recipe! It's fluffy, rich, and so delicious.
• Whipped cream - If you don't want to make cream cheese frosting, serve this with whipped cream! Whipped cream is so easy to make, and only takes a couple of minutes! Don't want to make your own? No problem! Use canned whipped cream and top with fresh strawberries.
• Ice cream - Who doesn't love cake and ice cream? Vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream would taste delicious alongside this recipe.

Tips for Perfecting This Recipe

• Be sure all your ingredients are room temperature! When creating items using the creaming method (like in this recipe), it is very important to ensure all ingredients are room temperature. Room temperature ingredients come together much more easily and evenly than cold ingredients.
• Mix the cupcake batter enough, but not too much! You want the batter to be light and fluffy. However, over mixing can actually cause the batter to have too much air, which will result in a drier cake and excess air could cause the cupcakes to collapse when baking.
• For the frosting, see above. Sometimes overmixing the frosting can create large air bubbles in the frosting.

Storage, Freezing, and Thawing

• To store frosted cupcakes: If you use cream cheese frosting, extra cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• To store unfrosted cupcakes: Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You may also place them in a large ziptop bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• To freeze: Both frosted and unfrosted cupcakes can be served in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• To thaw: If freezing cupcakes, remove from the freezer about 1 hour before you would like to ice them. They will thaw quickly at room temperature.
• NOTE: The frosting for these cupcakes may also be made ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you make the frosting ahead of time, remove from the refrigerator about 2 hours before icing the cupcakes. You may need to place in the mixer and "refluff". To do this, simply

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Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes

Erica Hopper

Gluten free strawberry cupcakes are soft, fluffy and moist! Serve them with cream cheese frosting for a super decadent dessert everyone will love!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 cupcakes

Calories 364 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries roughly chopped
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour 1:1 ratio
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup cream cheese room temperature
• ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
• Place the strawberries in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Gently mash with a fork, pastry cutter, or potato masher just until juices begin to release. Set aside.
• Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Once all the eggs have been added, increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, mix together the milk and vanilla extract.
• Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, and add ½ of the milk mixture, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour mixture and remaining milk mixture. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until just combined, again scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Once the wet and dry ingredients have been added, fold in the strawberries until well combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Place the cupcakes in the oven, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the muffin springs back when gently pressed in the center (you can also insert a toothpick in the center, and pull the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean). Let the muffins cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting, place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until it becomes smooth. Add the butter, and beat on high until well combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn the mixer on low until all the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, and then turn the mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and turn the mixer on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 204mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 598IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg

Keyword easy gluten free desserts, fresh strawberry recipes, gluten free cupcakes, gluten free strawberry cupcakes with fresh strawberries., gluten free strawberry cupcakes without jello, gluten free strawbery cupcakes

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