These festive and fluffy strawberry cupcakes are filled with an easy creamy cheesecake pudding and crowned with a fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting that is the ultimate treat! Everyone will go crazy over them, because who doesn't love strawberries and cheesecake flavors together!
You can get strawberries all year round, thankfully, so these cupcake gems are perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, Mother's Day and of course, Birthday parties! You can't go wrong ya know?
If you're a fan of strawberry heavenly desserts, you'll love this Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake Tiramisu, this Strawberry-Raspberry Jell-O Whipped Cheesecake Layered Salad, this Heavenly Strawberry Pretzel Dessert, this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownie Trifle Delight and this Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake!
How to make Strawberry Cupcakes:
Use your favorite strawberry cake mix to make your cupcakes. We used Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Strawberry Flavored Premium Cake Mix
. Thankfully it doesn't taste artificial, which we adore!
Bake the cupcakes and let them cool. Once cooled, use an apple corer or use a sharp knife to cut out circle in the middle of the cupcakes and scoop out any extra cake so you can fill them with the filling.
Cheesecake Filling:
While the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the cheesecake filling. We used a small vanilla pudding mixed with ½ cup almond milk, 1 ½ cups whipped cream (we made fresh but for a shortcut, use Cool Whip if preferred and 4 ounces of softened cream cheese. Whip it all together and get the most delish creamy cheesecake pudding, which is amazing all by itself!
Pipe the pudding into each of the cupcake centers and make your frosting!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
Use 10-12 fresh large strawberries and purée them in a blender or food processer. Place the puréed strawberries in a microwavable container and nuke them on high for 4 ½ minutes. Stir them 1-2 times while they are cooking while the mixture thickens up and condenses down. Place mixture in freezer or fridge to cool mixture off. When making the frosting, if the purée is not reduced to the correct amount it will make frosting runny.
Using a mixer, whip 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces of softened cream cheese until fluffy and creamy. Add ½ of the confectioners' sugar and mix on medium until mixed well. Add pureed strawberries, vanilla, salt and beat together. Add remainder of powdered sugar until icing is desired consistency.
Pipe on the icing. And DEVOUR! For a shortcut, you can of course buy 2 tubs of vanilla frosting and 1 8 ounces of softened cream cheese whip them together. Add some pureed strawberries to give them a fresh looking strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Party on with these delicious strawberry cheesecake cupcakes for the perfect ultimate treat!
Ultimate Strawberry Cheesecake Pudding Filled Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Cupcakes:
- 1 package Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Strawberry Flavored Premium Cake Mix plus ingredients (1 cup water, ¼ cup vegetable oil and 3 large eggs)
Cheesecake Pudding:
- 1 3.4 oz Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
- 1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- ½ cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 ½ cups whipped cream or freshly whipping cream whipped
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 10-12 Strawberries pureed in blender or food processor
- ½ cup butter very softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese very softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon strawberry extract could be used
Instructions
Strawberry Cupcakes:
- Use your favorite strawberry cake mix to make your cupcakes. We used Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Strawberry Flavored Premium Cake Mix.
- Bake the cupcakes as instructed on box instructions and then let them cool. Once cooled, use an apple corer or use a sharp knife to cut out circle in the middle of the cupcakes and scoop out any extra cake so you can fill them with the filling.
Cheesecake Pudding Filling:
- While the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the cheesecake filling. Using a mixer, mix together the softened cream cheese. In another bowl, mix together the almond milk and instant pudding mix together and add it to the cream cheese and mix until very smooth. Add in ½ cups whipped cream (we made fresh but for a shortcut, use Cool Whip if preferred) and whip it all together. Pipe the pudding into the middle of each of the cupcakes.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Use 10-12 fresh large strawberries and puree them in a blender or food processer. Place the pureed strawberries in a microwavable container and nuke them on high for 4 ½ minutes. Stir them 1-2 times while they are cooking while the mixture thickens up and condenses down. Place mixture in freezer or fridge to cool mixture off.
- Using a mixer, whip 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces of softened cream cheese until fluffy and creamy. Add ½ of the confectioners’ sugar and mix on medium until mixed well. Add pureed strawberries, vanilla, salt and beat together. Add remainder of powdered sugar until icing is desired consistency.
- Pipe on the icing. And DEVOUR!
- Place cupcakes in fridge until ready to serve. We recommend you let them sit out 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
Kim Lange says
I've frozen cupcake "blanks" unfilled and unfrosted. Store unfrosted in a heavy freezer bag for up to 2 months. Add the frosting to thawed cupcakes before serving. Enjoy!!
Laura says
Hi. Could I make these ahead of time and freeze them? When I need them, then I could put the icing on? Thanks!
Kim Lange says
That sounds amazing with the strawberry puree Hannah. YUM!
Hannah says
Could I add in some fresh strawberry purée to the cheesecake filling to make it strawberry cheesecake?
Catherine says
These strawberry cupcakes are so beautiful Kim! And man, do they ever look delicious!!
Kim Lange says
Thank you so much Michelle! Definitely what I had in mind when I made them! 🙂
Michelle | Sift & Simmer says
These cupcakes look fantastic, Kim! They'd be perfect for Valentine's Day! 🙂