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    Home » Desserts

    Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}

    Published: May 28, 2018 · by Audrey

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    gluten-free strawberry cupcakes Pinterest pin

    Fresh gluten-free strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting. Moist and tender strawberry cupcakes topped with strawberry buttercream. No artificial colors or flavors, just fresh strawberries in every bite. With a dairy-free option. 

    2 gluten-free strawberry cupcakes stacked on top of each other with a bowl of strawberries in the background

    Gluten-Free Cupcakes

    It’s just about summer-time here in North Florida and strawberries are in an abundance. I love baking with fresh berries this time of year!

    I first made these cupcakes last year for my daughter’s 12th birthday party.

    My daughter loves the color pink and her party theme was, pink of course, so I knew I wanted to make her strawberry cupcakes.

    These cupcakes are made with fresh strawberries, not like the strawberry cake mixes you find in the store.

    They are moist and tender and made with real ingredients. No artificial colors or flavors, just fresh strawberries in every bite.

    Don’t be intimated by using fresh strawberries in your baking. You can see just how easy if it to bake with fresh strawberries in the steps below.

    How To Make These Easy Strawberry Cupcakes – Step By Step

    gluten-free strawberry cupcakes recipe steps 1-3

    • First, make sure you wash and remove the stems from the fresh strawberries,  then cut them in half to make it easier puree. Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. (photo 1)
    • I used my NinjaMaster Prep Pro System, which is both a blender and a food processor. You will want to make 2 cup of strawberry puree, so you have enough for both the cupcakes and the strawberry buttercream frosting. (photo 2)
    • I have a Kitchen-Aid stand up mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer for this recipe as well. The next step is to cream your butter and sugar together. I like to cut my butter into smaller pieces to make it easier to cream. (photo 3)
    • Once you’ve creamed your butter and sugar together until its nice and fluffy add in your pure vanilla extract.

    gluten-free strawberry cupcakes recipe steps 4-7

    • Now it’s time to add the eggs one at a time. (photo 4)
    • I always like to combine my dry ingredients ahead of time. I just add them to a medium-sized bowl and whisk the ingredients a few times to make sure they are combined. (photo 5)
    • Pour the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and egg mixture and mix until fully combined. At this point, it will start to look like traditional cake batter.
    • Now you are going to add the 1 ½ cups of strawberry puree and the buttermilk to the batter. (photo 6)
    • If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) to the milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. That’s what I always do.
    • I like to line my muffin pans with cupcake liners, but you can also use gluten-free cooking spray too.
    • I always use a greased ice cream scoop when making muffins and cupcakes. It measures out the perfect amount and is less messy than trying to spoon batter in the pan. I like to check my cupcakes with a toothpick to make sure they are done too. (photo 7)
    • Please make sure to completely cool the cupcakes before frosting.  Make sure you remove the cupcakes from the baking pans to cool. I like to use a cooling rack because it speeds up the process. (photo 8)

    gluten-free strawberry cupcakes cooling step

    Gluten-Free Flour

    I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.

    Easy Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

    strawberry buttercream recipe steps 1-4

    These gluten-free Strawberry Cupcakes are topped with the prettiest Strawberry Buttercream Frosting. The frosting is also made with pureed strawberries.

    Making homemade frosting is so easy! Once you make your own, you’ll never go back to store-bought again.

    I use my Kitchen-Aid mixer to make the frosting, but you can use a hand mixer with a large bowl too.

    • Cream the butter until it’s nice and smooth. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula before you add the strawberry puree. (photo 1)
    • Start by adding ¼ cup of the strawberry puree to the butter and mix until it’s fully combined. Also, add the pure vanilla extract and lemon juice at this time.
    • Once it’s well mixed together scrape down the sides of the bowl again before adding the powdered sugar. (photo 2)
    • Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and keep mixing until the frosting becomes firm. Take a taste test and see if the frosting is strawberry enough for you if you want more strawberry flavor add another ¼ cup of the strawberry puree. Depending on how firm you want the frosting you may need to add more powdered sugar. (photo 3)

    Pro Tip

    • If you want to have smoother frosting and be a little fancier, you can shift your powdered sugar. I only do this for special occasions, like Birthday parties.
    • When I pipe frosting onto cupcakes I use a trick where I line a large cup with the piping bag. It makes the process much less messy! My favorite frosting tip is the Wilton 1M. (photo 4)

    I live in Florida, so I always refrigerate the frosting before I pipe it on the cupcakes. I prefer a firmer frosting.

    I also like to slice the remaining strawberries in half and use them to decorate the top of the cupcakes.

    4 gluten-free strawberry cupcakes on a cake stand

    Dairy-Free Baking

    I have also included a dairy-free option to my gluten-free strawberry cupcakes recipe.  My husband, my youngest son, and I are all dairy-free.

    I promise it is just as delicious made with the dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk. So, you too can enjoy gluten-free and dairy-free strawberry cupcakes.

    Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to bake with are almond, cashew or coconut milk. I also like baking with coconut oil or Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter.

    These gluten-free cupcakes were a hit at my daughter’s Birthday party! I promise no one will even know that they are gluten-free.

    Every bite is bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, making them the perfect summer cupcake.

    Looking for more gluten-free dessert recipes?

    • Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cake
    • Gluten-Free Kentucky Butter Cake
    • Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie

     

     

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    ★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below in the comments!★

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    5 from 11 votes

    Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}

    Fresh gluten-free strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting. Moist and tender strawberry cupcakes topped with strawberry buttercream. No artificial colors or flavors, just fresh strawberries in every bite. With a dairy-free option. 
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword gluten-free cupcakes, gluten-free strawberry cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings 24 cupcakes
    Calories 230kcal
    Author Audrey from Mama Knows Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour (I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.)
    • ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it)
    • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup buttermilk (or add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to milk to make buttermilk. Dairy-free use almond, cashew or coconut milk)
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter (dairy-free use Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter)
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 3 large eggs , room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups strawberry puree
    • red food coloring (optional if you want the cupcakes really pink)

    Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

    • 1 cup butter, softned dairy-free use Smart Balance butter
    • ¼-1/2 cup strawberry puree (start with ¼ cup and add more if you want more strawberry flavor)
    • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • red food coloring (optional if you want the cupcakes really pink)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F. Use cupcake liners or spray a with muffin pans with gluten-free cooking spray.
    • Remove the stems of the strawberries and cut the strawberries in half. Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. (I used my NinjaMaster Prep Pro System)
    • In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together. Add the pure vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
    • Add one egg at a time to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
    • In a medium bowl add the gluten-free flour,  xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), gluten-free baking powder and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients. 
    • Add the gluten-free flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until fully combined. 
    • Add the strawberry puree and the buttermilk to the cake batter. Mix until fully combined. (Add optional red food coloring if you want the cupcake batter pinker)
    • Scoop the cake batter into the lined muffin pans. (I like to use an ice cream scoop) 
    • Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes. Please watch your cupcakes because all ovens are different. Use a toothpick to check and see if the centers are done.
    • Cool completely before frosting. 

    Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

    • In a large bowl cream the butter using a stand-up mixer or hand a mixer. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the next ingredients. 
    • Add the strawberry puree, lemon juice and pure vanilla extract to the butter and mix until fully combined.  Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the powdered sugar.  (Add optional red food coloring if you want the frosting pinker)
    • Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix until the frosting is firm.
    • If you want a firmer frosting, refrigerate the frosting for a few minutes before either piping or spreading on top of the cupcakes. I like to line a piping bag in a tall glass and then add the frosting. It sure is less messy. My favorite frosting tip is the Wilton 1M.
    • Cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container, but keep the frosting refrigerated and frost cupcakes when ready to serve.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    • I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
    • I used cashew milk and Smart Balance butter for the dairy-free-option.
    • I always use a greased ice cream scoop when making muffins and cupcakes.
    • Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate. 
    • Mama says, "Always check your labels!"

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Denise Michelle says

      February 25, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      Amazing! I never write reviews, but just had to. These came out perfectly and were so easy to make. I opted for a beat root powder instead of food coloring in the batter. For the frosting, I substituted a half a cup vegan cream cheese, essentially doing half cream cheese half vegan butter, and also added crumbled up freeze dried raspberries and strawberries. The frosting was divine and the cupcakes were absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, much gratitude mama!

      Reply
    2. Mary Motte says

      August 13, 2020 at 1:18 pm

      Excellent recipe. I used my own gluten free flour blend, the cupcakes turned out moist and tender. The icing is delicious. I made them for my husband so our daughter could enjoy some also, she has been on a gluten free diet for many years. Will be making this again. Thanks.

      Reply
    3. Martha Tabis says

      July 25, 2020 at 10:35 am

      Fresh strawberries make all the difference- moist and flavorful without being heavy.
      The frosting is HEAVENLY!!! and also good with Mama Audrey’s Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.

      Reply
    4. Lauren Walker says

      June 25, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      These are PERFECTLY delicious. My family was amazed at how tasty they were! Thank you for your awesome recipe!

      Reply
    5. Tammy L Parsons says

      June 07, 2020 at 8:30 am

      Hi i was asked make strawberry gluten free wedding cake would this recipe be suitable for this? I have made cupcakes many times and is truly loved by many. So wanted use for cake. Thanks Tammy

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        June 08, 2020 at 8:55 am

        Hi Tammy! I am so happy that you have enjoyed the cupcakes. I have not tried this recipe as a cake, but I don’t think you will have a problem converting the recipe and baking it in cake pans to make a cake. You will need to double the recipe depending on what size cake pans you use and bake the cakes for an additional 5-10 minutes. I hope everyone enjoys the cake!

        Reply
    6. Trinity says

      July 01, 2019 at 11:35 am

      Recipe was great! The instructions were super easy to follow and even though my cupcakes didn’t turn out as pretty they tasted pretty good ❤️ Baby steps. Thanks Audrey!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        July 01, 2019 at 5:21 pm

        Thank you so much Trinity for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the strawberry cupcakes and you found the recipe easy to follow. I’m sure your cupcakes were pretty friend, you’ve got this!???? You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!

        Reply
    7. Maribeth Strand says

      May 25, 2019 at 8:15 am

      I want to make these for granddaughters birthday. If I make on Thursday, and frost on Saturday morning, will cupcakes be ok made 2 days ahead? Should I freeze them?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 25, 2019 at 8:23 am

        Hi Meribeth! Gluten-free baked goods area always best the day they are baked. You could freeze them and defrost at room temperature before frosting them. I know a lot of moms keep frozen cupcakes (frosting and all) for their gluten-free kids to bring to parties. I hope she enjoys the cupcakes. Wishing your granddaughter a happy birthday!

        Reply
    8. Brittany humphrey says

      May 17, 2019 at 12:17 pm

      So yummy and easy recipe to follow. My daughter loved these for her birthday!!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 20, 2019 at 9:44 am

        Thank you so much for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that your daughter loved the cupcakes for her birthday. I created this recipe for my daughter’s 12th birthday. I am glad that you found the recipe easy to follow too. Thanks again!

        Reply
    9. Dawn says

      May 11, 2019 at 11:56 pm

      I have missed strawberry cake the past 5 years so I finally got around to making these for myself for Mother’s Day. Let’s just say I may have trouble sharing…….

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 13, 2019 at 8:47 am

        This makes my heart so happy to hear Dawn! I am so happy that you enjoyed the strawberry cupcakes. Thank you so much for the wonderful 5-star recipe review!

        Reply
    10. christine bashara says

      May 10, 2019 at 10:00 pm

      Do you need to strain the puree to remove the seeds?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 11, 2019 at 8:43 am

        Hi Christine! I did not strain the strawberry puree and did not notice any problems with seeds. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!

        Reply
    11. Landry says

      April 22, 2019 at 10:13 pm

      Hi, I am going to make these for my daughters birthday. Very excited! Do you know how many strawberries you need for the 1.5 cups puréed for the cake and .5 cups for the frosting? I want to make sure I buy enough strawberries! Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        April 23, 2019 at 8:00 am

        Hi Landry! It all depends on the size of the strawberries. I always buy a few of the extra large containers of strawberries because I never know how big someone of them are, or if some of them may be too ripe. It’s always best to buy more than to not have enough. I made this recipe for my daughter’s 12th birthday. I hope your daughter enjoys the cupcakes. Wishing her the happiest of Birthdays!

        Reply
        • Landry says

          April 25, 2019 at 6:23 pm

          Thanks for your response! So, I’m making these Friday morning to be eaten Saturday lunchtime. Should I put them in the fridge overnight or are they okay on the counter until I serve them??

          Reply
          • Audrey says

            April 25, 2019 at 11:01 pm

            Hi Landry! You are so welcome. The cupcakes can be left on the counter in an air-tight container, but if you are going to frost them you will need to refrigerate them because the strawberry buttercream is a little softer than traditional buttercream. The strawberries add moisture to the frosting.

            Reply
            • Landry says

              April 26, 2019 at 9:50 am

              Gotcha! Thanks for the quick response! I’ll be making these today, DF as well. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

            • Audrey says

              April 27, 2019 at 8:21 am

              You are so welcome Landry, I love sharing what I make for my family!

    12. Chris says

      April 02, 2019 at 6:29 pm

      These are phenomenal! thank you for this recipe. I had a bunch of strawberries in my freezer from the Pick-Your-Own place that I picked last Spring; this recipe helped me to use some of them up. Keep up the good recipe work!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        April 02, 2019 at 9:08 pm

        Thank you so much Chris for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the strawberry cupcakes. I’ve never been strawberry picking, it sounds like fun and I bet you get the most delicious strawberries. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!

        Reply
    13. Tara says

      March 31, 2019 at 12:20 am

      When you use the almond milk, do you still add the lemon juice/vinegar? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        March 31, 2019 at 9:10 am

        Hi Tara! Yes I still add the vinegar/lemon juice to the almond milk (or other dairy-free milk). I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!

        Reply
    14. Marina says

      March 12, 2019 at 7:21 pm

      Do you use the smart balance sticks or the tub?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        March 12, 2019 at 8:36 pm

        Hi Marina! I usually buy the Smart Balance tub because I can’t always find the sticks. Both work great for dairy-free baking.

        Reply
    15. April says

      February 27, 2019 at 7:49 pm

      May I sub out the butter and is oil? Allergies to palm oil:(

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        February 27, 2019 at 8:06 pm

        Hi April! If you have allergies to palm oil and you do not have allergies/sensitivities to dairy you can use butter. I use Smart Balance butter for the dairy-free option, but I use unsalted butter for the traditional gluten-free recipe. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!

        Reply
    16. Andrea says

      February 12, 2019 at 11:32 pm

      Hello gorgeous I am going to make this recipe my question is you use the pilsbury gluten free flour and that’s what I have in hand also because it has a mix of things can I omit the xanthan gum or do you still use it? Also have you ever tried the recipe halved? If I follow exactly except use half of suggested measurements will the result be the same?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        February 12, 2019 at 11:44 pm

        Hi Andrea and thank you so much for your kind words! If you use the Pillsbury gluten-free you will not need to add the xanthan gum to it (it already has it in it). I have not halved the recipe but I am sure if you halved the ingredients correctly they would turn out the same. I hope you enjoy the strawberry cupcakes!

        Reply
        • Andrea j says

          February 13, 2019 at 9:40 am

          Thank you so much I’m making them right now

          Reply
          • Audrey says

            February 13, 2019 at 9:45 am

            You are so welcome Andrea! I hope you enjoy the cupcakes.????

            Reply
    17. D Dsouza says

      January 30, 2019 at 9:06 am

      Can I use normal ingredients which are not gluten free instead of all the gluten free ingredients you mentioned.

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 31, 2019 at 11:07 am

        Hi D! I have never tried this recipe with wheat flour and I cannot have it. I only bake with gluten-free flour. Thanks for asking!

        Reply
    18. Sharon says

      January 11, 2019 at 2:20 pm

      The cake ingredients has a dairy-free option for butter, but that’s not listed in the frosting ingredients. Can dairy-free butter be used for the frosting as well, or only real butter?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 11, 2019 at 9:12 pm

        Hi Sharon I use Smart Balance dairy-free butter when I make dairy-free frosting. Thanks for catching the oversight! I corrected it. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes.

        Reply
    19. Debi says

      November 15, 2018 at 9:44 am

      Hi,
      I was thinking about making this recipe for a gender reveal party. (Spoiler, it’s a girl). So I have two questions. What temperature and how long would I need to cook it if I made it into a layer cake instead? Also, is the cake itself very pink without any food coloring?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        November 15, 2018 at 2:19 pm

        Hi Debi! I would start at 20 minutes, just like the cupcakes, if you are baking it in an 8-inch cake pan. Test the center with a toothpick to see if it’s done. If it’s not done, allow it to continue to bake at 5-minute increments. Most cakes bake for 30 minutes. The pinkness of the cake will depend on how red your strawberries are. Congratulations on your baby girl! I hope you enjoy the strawberry cake.

        Reply
    20. Tessa Simpson says

      June 03, 2018 at 10:51 pm

      My teen and her friend begged me to bake and really wanted something strawberry….then I remembered this one! They loved them!! That frosting, drool!! We used Pamela’s Baking Mix, and since I was low on fresh strawberries, we we thawed some frozen and pureed those. Probably should have added a touch more flour…the frozen strawberries probably added a bit more fluid. So tender, so delicious!! Oh and they used half monk fruit for the sweetener.

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        June 04, 2018 at 5:19 am

        I am so glad that you, your daughter and her friend enjoyed the cupcakes Tessa! I’ve never tried monk fruit as a sweetener. I’ll have to give it a try. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe rating!

        Reply

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    Audrey Roberts in a white kitchen for a profile photo

    I'm Audrey Roberts, a busy mama of four and I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I make gluten-free family-friendly recipes that are simple and delicious that you can too! I use easy to find ingredients that won't break your budget. You will also find dairy-free options and Paleo recipes. I am also the author of  The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook, which is an Amazon Best Selling Cookbook in the US and Internationally. Living gluten-free since 2010. I hope by me sharing my journey it may help you with yours.  Read More…

     

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