Strawberry filled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are a delightful treat for any occasion. These sweet treats feature moist, light, and fluffy cupcakes with a generous helping of juicy strawberry compote inside, and a delightful strawberry cream cheese frosting is the cherry on top! Every bite of these delicious treats starts with the flavor of fresh-picked and ripe strawberries, which is then followed by the luxurious cream cheese frosting. With such an irresistible combination of flavors, it's easy to see why these tasty cupcakes have become a fan favorite.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Prepare two cupcake tins with liners and set aside.
Make the cupcake batter according to package instructions.
Once it's ready, divide the batter among the cupcake liners and bake for 19-23 minutes.
Prepare the strawberry compote while the cupcakes are baking. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the diced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook until the strawberries have softened and released their juices. Once the compote has reached your desired consistency, stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest and set it aside to cool completely.
When the cupcakes are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before filling.
Prepare the strawberry cream cheese frosting. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla, salt, and strawberry preserve, and mix until combined.
Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until the desired consistency is reached, then add the crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a sharp knife or a metal piping tip to cut a small hole in the top of each cupcake for the filling. Discard the core.
Fill each cupcake with a tablespoon of strawberry compote and then top with the strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Garnish the cupcakes with freshly sliced strawberries or additional freeze-dried strawberries.
* Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary based on brands of ingredients used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.