These Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes have a creamy no bake cheesecake center and are topped with homemade strawberry frosting. These easy cupcakes are flavorful and perfect for every spring or summer celebration.
I have decided to give up sugar for a week or two. This is very hard for my sweet tooth to handle. So far, it has been good, but it has only been one day. Thank goodness for this Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake! I may eat one every day.
I want to see if it makes a difference in my weight. Sadly, that means I can't bake for that time either because I always find myself taste-testing when I am baking. That kind of breaks the no-sugar rule. It's all lean and green recipes this week!!!
Now, I know some of you are cheering because you think that means no sugary pictures to tempt you and make you drool. Well, that's not true because I have plenty of ones I haven't even shared yet.
So, even though I won't be eating things like these Take 5 Bars this week, I'm still going to share them with you.
Let's start with some strawberry cupcakes with cheesecake filling. Cupcakes that have fresh fruit and dairy in them can't be a bad thing, right?
Okay, okay. I'll just share how to make them, and you can enjoy them for me until I come to my senses and start enjoying sugar again.
Key Ingredients
For the Strawberry Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cake Mix - This particular recipe uses a box cake mix. Doctored-up cake mixes are my specialty. If you like to bake from scratch, that works too.
- Instant Strawberry Pudding Mix - Adding pudding mix to a cake batter gives it more structure and makes it bake more moist.
- Oil - Helps the cake bake moist, fluffy, and tender. You can use melted butter, but butter has water added to it, so while it may taste better, the texture isn't the same.
- Large Eggs - They provide structure in recipes. It is important to follow the recipe and use the specified egg size, as it affects the amount of liquid in the recipe.
- Milk - Using milk instead of water makes a cake mix taste more like a homemade cake. Using buttermilk will also add a rich flavor.
For the Homemade Strawberry Frosting
- Shortening & Butter - Using a combo of these 2 ingredients gives the buttercream a better structure for piping.
- Salt - Balances out the sweetness.
- Vanilla & Strawberry Extract - Mixing these two extracts adds a great flavor to the box mix.
- Strawberries - For the best flavor, choose sweet, ripe strawberries. Puree the berries in a blender or food processor. If the berries are not juicy, add a little bit of water.
- Powdered Sugar - Thickens the strawberry buttercream and adds sweetness. Use more if you want a thicker frosting, although this will affect the strawberry flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Mix the dry strawberry cake, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and milk. Divide the batter evenly in the muffin liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool the cupcakes, then completely remove the center of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer or a small knife.
- Whisk together the pudding mix and milk. Beat the cream cheese until creamy, then add the pudding mixture and beat again.
- Fold in the Cool Whip gently. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with the no-bake cheesecake mixture.
- Puree the fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor.
- Mix together the frosting ingredients until nice and creamy.
- Swirl the frosting on top of the cupcakes and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.
- Top with a fresh strawberry and graham cracker sticks before serving if desired.
FAQs
Feel free to use an instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding mix. You can also add 1-2 spoonfuls of strawberry jello to the batter to amp up the strawberry flavor.
Yes. Melted butter is a fine substitution for oil. However, cakes and cupcakes baked with oil bake up with a better crumb texture and stay moist for longer.
More Strawberry Recipes
It only takes a few minutes to make and then to enjoy fresh Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling. It is perfect for pies, cakes, breakfast pastries, or spreading on toast.
Layers of fruit, yogurt, and granola make these Healthy Strawberry Yogurt Parfaits an easy and fresh breakfast choice. Start the day out right by grabbing a jar as you walk out the door.
Layers of cake cubes, no bake cheesecake, and fresh fruit makes this Strawberry Key Lime Cheesecake Trifle an easy dessert to make for spring or summer dinners.
This dreamy Strawberry Cream Pie is the perfect way to showcase these luscious berries.
These Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies have a sweet cream cheese filling and a crunchy sugar coating.
Homemade Strawberry Waffles are just the thing to make your weekend awesome. Everyone loves a day that starts with waffles, right?
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Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
These Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes have a creamy no bake cheesecake center and and are topped with homemade strawberry frosting. These easy cupcakes are bursting with flavor and are the perfect dessert for every spring celebration.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 strawberry cake mix
- 1 (3.4 ounce) instant strawberry pudding mix
- ½ cup oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant cheesecake pudding mix
- ½ cup milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups Cool Whip, thawed (from an 8 ounce container)
For the Strawberry Butter Cream
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon strawberry extract
- ¾ cup diced ripe strawberries
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 24 whole strawberries
- 48 graham cracker cookie sticks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
- Beat the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, milk, and eggs for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix until creamy and thick.
- Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the pudding and beat again. Fold in the whipped topping.
- Use a cupcake corer or small knife to cut out the center of the cupcakes. Spoon the cheesecake filling into a piping bag with icing tip 12 and fill the centers. Refrigerate while you make the frosting.
- Beat the shortening and butter until creamy. Add the salt, vanilla, and strawberry extract and beat again.
- Slowly add half the powdered sugar until it is mixed in.
- Place the strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree. If your strawberries are not ripe and juicy, you may need to add 1 Tablespoon of water.
- Pour the strawberry puree into the frosting and beat until creamy. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Use a large piping bag and icing tip 1M to swirl the frosting on the chilled cupcakes. Refrigerate cupcakes until time to serve.
- Add the cookie sticks and a fresh strawberry to the top of each cupcake right before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 886Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 301mgCarbohydrates: 174gFiber: 2gSugar: 152gProtein: 5g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
(original photo from April 2011)
*The post for Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes was first published April 26, 2011. The pictures & recipe were updated March 2017. The post was republished January 30, 2021.
Paula
These look and sound wonderful. Wondering if you can add any additional strawberry to the batter for extra flavor/texture? Maybe some puree? Or maybe they are perfect as they are!
Jocelyn Brubaker
You could always swirl some strawberry preserves into each cupcake. I wouldn't do too much or it could affect baking time.
Misha
Just wondering how long the cupcakes can be refrigerated. Can I make them on Friday and wait until Sunday to use them?
Jocelyn Brubaker
They should be fine in the refrigerator for that long. I would just make sure they are in a tightly sealed container. I hope you enjoy them 🙂
Heather @ French Press
what pretty little cupcakes Jocelyn - LOVE the color
Leea P
I made these today for my brother's birthday. The cupcakes were moist and the filling was delicious but I ended up using store bought frosting. I made the frosting as noted above but it was a disaster. Once I put the preserves in the bowl and mixed it the frosting became runny. It tasted good but there was no way I could have decorated the cupcakes with the frosting. Could it have been the preserves or the fresh strawberries that caused the frosting not to thicken?
Jocelyn Brubaker
I'm really glad to hear the cupcakes turned out great. I'm not really sure what might have happened with the frosting. I have made it several times and never had a problem with it being thick. I usually have to add water or milk to thin it so I can pipe it on. Were your chopped strawberries juicy?
The Tolmans
Hey I just posted this on my blog and made a linked to you as well! Just wanted to share with everyone how great you are! Just thought I would let you know, here is my link.
http://benallitolman.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-about-recipe.html
rileymms
I made these for my husband's work and they LOVED them! I added a fresh strawberry slice on top of the cream cheese before I added the icing only because I had them in the frig and wanted to get rid of them. I have to say, though, I did not make the icing since I of course waited until the last minute. I used canned. But, it worked well. You really need to make a cookbook for your stuff and sell some. 🙂
Jenn Erickson
Mmmm.....I have to admit, that Strawberry cake mix takes me back to childhood in the happiest of ways! Your cupcakes not only sound delicious, but look so pretty too!God bless!
Jenn
Lolly Jane
Mmmmmm~ these look divine! We would ♥ for you to show this off at our link party!
aggieam01
WOW! This looks so yummy, I almost licked my screen!!!!!
Amanda
Whoever said cupcakes weren't a food group was clearly mistaken. These look fabulous!
Jessa Smith
This looks SO good! I can't wait to try them!
~Jessa
BigBearswife
ooo those look great!! yummy! love the cupcake liners too!
Rhondi
These look so good! I bookmarked these for when I can eat sugar again too...I have to get into a swimsuit (in public) in 5 short weeks. My family will love these.
Liz
These look yummy! I've never made strawberry buttercream - what's not to love?! We just finished the whole Lost series a few weeks ago...a definite love/hate relationship. It was so addicting, and so frustrating at the same time! Hope you enjoy it!
malia
dang lady! these are too pretty. wish i could reach in the computer and grab one!
Susan
These look great....can't wait to try them!
Lisa @ Flour Me With Love
These look really good, I made similar ones on my site not to long ago 🙂 I love the addition of pudding in yours.
AliLilly
OH!!! OH! How can you post these beauties and give up sugar on the same post!? WHAT? haha! Glad you had a great Easter! 🙂
Lindsay Conner
My two favorite flavors rolled into one! 🙂
Rachel
SO fun and delicious!