Strawberry Glazed Cupcakes

These strawberry glazed cupcakes are made with fresh strawberries and topped with a strawberry flavoured glaze. The glaze is also made using fresh strawberries so you can taste strawberry in every bite of this delicious dessert.

If you have some strawberries going soft in your fridge, do not throw them away and instead make these gorgeous strawberry cupcakes. If you don’t have any strawberries then I suggest you go and buy some to make this delicious recipe. I grow strawberries in my garden so during the summer I tend to have plenty of strawberries on hand. I love strawberries as there are so many recipes you can include them in. They taste great in cakes, pies, muffins and many more types of recipes.  

To make these cupcakes, fresh strawberries are pureed and reduced which gives a stronger strawberry flavour than just adding pureed or chopped strawberries. Reducing the strawberries give the cupcakes a strong strawberry flavour which makes these cupcakes so delightful. The reduced strawberries are added to a vanilla batter and baked to produce soft, light and fluffy cupcakes.

Less Calories than Cupcakes with Buttercream!

The glaze on these cupcakes have more than half the calories of buttercream which makes them diet friendly. One of these cupcakes only contains 217 calories which is way less than an average cupcake with buttercream which stands at around 500 - 600 calories.

Glazed cupcakes have become my go to cupcakes to make when I need a sweet treat without too many calories. They’re just as delicious as buttercream cupcakes which I tend to save for special occasions.

Ingredients for Strawberry Glazed Cupcakes

Cupcake ingredients

• Fresh strawberries – hull and chop the strawberries.
• Flour – I use self-raising flour which is plain flour with added baking powder.
• Salt – regular table salt will do.
• Bicarbonate soda – or baking soda.
• Baking spread – I use stork.
• White sugar – caster sugar is ideal for this recipe.
• Eggs – I use medium eggs.
• Vanilla extract – use good quality vanilla extract and not essence.
• Sour cream – plain or natural yoghurt also work well with this recipe.
• Milk – use whole or semi skimmed.
• Pink food colouring – this is optional to brighten up the cupcakes.

Glaze ingredients

• Icing sugar – also known as confectionary sugar or powdered sugar.
• Strawberries – from the reduced strawberries used for the cupcakes.
• Milk – use whole or semi skimmed. This is optional.
• Sprinkles – use your favourite sprinkles.

How to Make Strawberry Glazed Cupcakes

1. Firstly, make the strawberry reduction for the cupcakes and glaze. Wash the strawberries, remove the tops then chop them in half. Add them to a blender and blend to a puree. Pour the blended strawberries into a saucepan and place the pan on a medium heat. When the strawberries begin to bubble give them a stir and continue to stir occasionally. After a while, you will notice a lighter colour liquid on top of the strawberries, when that lighter liquid disappears then you know the reduction is complete. Remove the strawberry reduction from the heat and pour into a small bowl to cool.

2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC and line a 12-count muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases. To a medium sized bowl, add and combine the flour, salt and bicarbonate soda. Set aside.

3. To a mixing bowl, add the baking spread and sugar then cream them together until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract then mix in the soured cream and milk.  If using pink food colouring then add it in at this stage.

4. From the bowl with the reduced strawberries, remove 2 tablespoons of the reduced strawberries, add to a separate container and refrigerate. This will be used for the glaze. Pour the rest of the reduced strawberries into the batter and combine.

5. Gradually add in the dry ingredients set aside earlier and mix until well combined. Spoon the batter evenly between the cupcake cases and bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the baking tin on a cooking rack for 15 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to completely cool.

6. Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the glaze by combining the icing sugar with the reduced strawberries that you place in the fridge earlier. Continue to mix until smooth. If you want to loosen the mixture then add the milk. Using a butter knife or palette knife, spread 1 teaspoon of the glaze onto each cupcake then add sprinkle if using.

Recipe Tips

• Before you add the reduced strawberries to the batter, remember to remove and store 2 tablespoons to use later for the glaze.
• The pink food colouring is optional. Without it the cupcakes will be very light pink in colour.

Nutrition

Nutrition based on 1 serving - Calories: 217kcal | Fat: 8.4g | Saturates: 3.1g | Carbs: 32.7g | Sugar: 23.1g | Fibre: 1.3g | Protein: 2.9g | Salt: 0.31g.

Storage

• Once frosted, these cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight before being refrigerated.
• If the weather is hot or humid then store in the fridge immediately until serving.
• The following day store any left over cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Ensure you bring the cupcakes to room temperature before serving from the fridge.

Recipes that may interest you!

• Strawberry Banana Cake with Whipped Cream
• Vanilla Cupcakes with Whipped Cream
• Jam Whipped Cream Sponge Cake