White chocolate strawberry cupcakes made with soft vanilla cupcakes, fresh strawberry pieces, and a light whipped white chocolate strawberry ganache.
I tested several versions to balance the sweetness of white chocolate with real strawberry flavor, without ending up with an overly rich or artificial taste.
This recipe uses fresh strawberries and a whipped ganache texture I rely on often for stable, bakery-style cupcakes.
Why you’ll love these cupcakes
- Soft vanilla cupcakes with real strawberry pieces in every bite
- Light whipped white chocolate ganache, not heavy or overly sweet
- Clean, elegant flavor combo that works for birthdays and special occasions
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Unsalted, softened at room temperature
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar
- Eggs: Large, at room temperature
- Vanilla & salt: Vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt
- Flour: Cake flour for a soft, tender crumb
- Baking powder: For a light rise
- Buttermilk: Or plain yogurt
- Strawberries: Fresh for the batter, frozen for the purée
- White chocolate: Good-quality baking chocolate for the ganache
- Heavy cream: Full-fat, for a smooth whipped ganache
- Food coloring: Optional, for a brighter pink color
Tips for this recipe
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for a smooth, well-emulsified batter.
- Dice the strawberries small to prevent excess moisture in the cupcakes.
- Do not overmix once the flour is added to keep the crumb light and soft.
- Chill the white chocolate ganache fully before whipping for a stable frosting.
- Frost only completely cooled cupcakes to avoid melting the ganache.
How to make white chocolate strawberry cupcakes
This recipe use with my classic vanilla cupcake base, which I use for most birthday and celebration cupcakes.
Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat again for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, mixing gently until just combined. Fold in the diced strawberries.
Divide the batter evenly between the liners.
And bake at 350°F / 180°C for 15–17 minutes, until lightly golden.
Let cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
You’ll find the full step-by-step method in my strawberry ganache recipe, which I use here.
Pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped white chocolate and strawberry purée. Let sit, then stir until smooth.
Add the cold cream (and food coloring if using), then blend briefly until fully emulsified. Chill for 3–4 hours.
Whip the chilled ganache at medium speed until thick, smooth, and pipeable.
Transfer the whipped strawberry ganache to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip.
Pipe generous swirls onto the cooled cupcakes, top with a fresh strawberry, and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
Serving suggestions
Serve these white chocolate strawberry cupcakes slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Perfect for birthdays, baby showers, Valentine’s Day, or any spring and summer dessert table.
Storage
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Recipe variations
- Raspberry version: swap strawberry purée for raspberry purée in the ganache.
- Chocolate drizzle: replace white chocolate drizzle with dark chocolate.
- No fruit chunks: remove strawberry pieces from the batter for a smoother crumb.
- Layer cake version: use the same flavors to make a white chocolate strawberry cake.
Recipe Questions
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes and prepare the ganache in advance, then assemble the same day.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, for the purée only. Thaw and drain well before using.
Why is my ganache too soft?
It needs to be fully chilled before whipping, and the cream must be very cold.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes only. Add ganache after thawing.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Strawberry crunch cupcakes
- Strawberry filled cupcakes
- Chocolate cupcakes
- Strawberry lemonade cupcakes
- white chocolate raspberry cupcakes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
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White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
Soft vanilla cupcakes filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a light whipped white chocolate strawberry ganache. A simple, elegant cupcake with real fruit flavor and a smooth, creamy finish. (makes 12 cupcakes).
Ingredients
Strawberry vanilla cupcakes
- 100 g Unsalted butter – softened
- 120 g Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs – room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 135 ml Buttermilk (½ cup + 2 tbsp)
- 170 g Cake flour (1 ¼ cups)
- 1 ½ tsp Baking powder (9 g)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 80 g Fresh strawberries – finely diced
Strawberry ganache
- 250 g White chocolate – baking
- 200 ml Heavy cream – hot (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)
- 200 ml Heavy cream – cold (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)
- 85 g Strawberry purée (see below)
- ½ Vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Red strawberry food coloring – optional
Strawberry purée
- 150 g Strawberries – fresh or frozen
- 15 g Sugar (1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions
Vanilla Strawberry Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, then mix again for about 3 minutes until smooth and slightly fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, folding gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Toss the diced strawberries with a tablespoon of flour, then fold them carefully into the batter.
- Divide the batter between the liners, filling them about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Homemade Strawberry Purée
- Place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until the strawberries soften and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Blend until completely smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
- Measure the needed amount for the ganache and let the purée cool completely before using.
Strawberry Ganache
- Finely chop the white chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl.
- Add the cooled strawberry purée and vanilla.
- Heat the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate.
- Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and fully melted.
- Add the cold heavy cream and food coloring, then blend with an immersion blender until glossy.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill for 3–4 hours, or until fully cold.
- Once chilled, whip the ganache at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until thick, smooth, and stable.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Transfer the whipped strawberry ganache to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe swirls over the cooled cupcakes.
- Top with a whole strawberry and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving for the best texture
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature before serving.
Tips
- Use cold cream and fully chilled ganache for a stable whip.
- Finely chop the white chocolate so it melts evenly.
- Drain strawberry purée well to avoid a loose ganache.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- Use high-quality white chocolate for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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