Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes

Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes are a delicious dessert that combines strawberry and vanilla flavors with a crunchy topping, similar to Strawberry Shortcake Crunch Bars or Good Humor ice cream bars. They usually have a strawberry cupcake base, vanilla frosting, and a strawberry crunch topping made of Golden Oreos, freeze-dried strawberries, and butter. You can make the cupcakes from scratch or use a box mix, and the frosting can be piped on for a fancy look. These cupcakes are great for summer parties, family get-togethers, or just as a fun treat.

Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes Ingredients

• White cake mix or strawberry cake mix (store-bought or homemade): Forms the base of the cupcakes, providing structure and texture. Use whichever flavor you prefer or adjust the recipe to match your taste.
• Vegetable oil: Adds moisture to the cupcakes, keeping them soft. Use any type of vegetable oil such as canola, corn, or sunflower oil.
• Egg whites: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to a light texture. Use fresh egg whites for best results.
• Sour cream: Adds moisture and richness, resulting in a tender crumb. Use full-fat sour cream for the best texture.
• Fresh strawberries: Add natural strawberry flavor and texture. Use ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. Use powdered sugar (also known as confectioner’s sugar).
• Heavy cream or milk: Thins out the frosting to achieve the desired consistency. Use heavy cream for a richer frosting or milk for a lighter one.
• Golden Oreos: Provide a crunchy base for the topping. Use the original flavor Golden Oreos.
• Strawberry Jello powder: Adds flavor and color to the topping. Use strawberry-flavored gelatin powder.

How I Made Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes 

First, I mixed the cake ingredients like box mix, flour, eggs and oil. Then I folded in mashed berries and sour cream for extra moisture and flavor. 

Once baked, the cupcakes smelled so good as they cooled. While they rested, I started on the frosting by beating butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until smooth. 

For the topping, I pulsed Oreo cookies and dried strawberries in the food processor until crumbly. Stirring in melted butter created delicious crunchy clumps. 

It was frosting time! Using a piping bag, I piped rosettes of frosting onto each cupcake. The bright pink swirls were so pretty. 

As a final touch, I sprinkled the strawberry crunch generously over top. What a colorful, tasty result! 

How to Make Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes with Cheesecake Filling

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and dried strawberries in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.
• Mix in sour cream (or buttermilk), egg, melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until a sticky batter forms.
• Place a golden Oreo at the bottom of each cupcake liner and fill them ¾ full with the batter.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
• For the strawberry filling, cook strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over low-medium heat until the strawberries soften.
• In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Stir the mixture into the strawberries and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened, with some larger strawberry pieces.
• Crush cookies and dried strawberries in a food processor or with a rolling pin in a ziplock bag to make the crunchy crumbles. Set aside.
• Prepare the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting according to the instructions, adding strawberry powder at the end.
• Core the center of each cupcake and fill the hole with strawberry filling.
• Frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, then dip them in the crunchy crumbles.
• Finish by piping a small dollop of frosting on each cupcake and decorating with drops of strawberry filling and strawberry halves.

Cupcake Pro Tips:

Sift Dry Ingredients: For an extra light and fluffy texture, sift the dry ingredients (cake mix, flour, sugar, salt) together before combining them. This helps remove any clumps and ensures even distribution.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your egg whites, sour cream, and any other dairy products are at room temperature. This helps the batter mix together more smoothly and gives your cupcakes a lighter texture.

Don’t Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense cupcakes.

Use a Cookie Scoop: For evenly sized cupcakes, use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners. This ensures they bake evenly and look uniform.

Check for Doneness: To avoid overbaking, start checking the cupcakes at 17 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, they’re done.

Frosting Pro Tips:

Softened Butter and Cream Cheese: Ensure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature before mixing. This allows them to cream together smoothly and creates a lighter, fluffier frosting.

Gradually Add Powdered Sugar: Add powdered sugar in small increments to avoid clouds of sugar and to allow it to incorporate better into the butter-cream cheese mixture.

Adjust Consistency: Start with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and adjust to reach your desired frosting consistency. Add more cream for a looser frosting or less for a thicker, sturdier frosting that holds up well in warm weather.

Beat on High: Once the frosting is nearly finished, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes. This step incorporates air into the frosting, making it light and fluffy.

Strawberry Crunch Topping Pro Tips

Pulse, Don’t Overprocess: When pulsing the Golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries, stop as soon as the mixture reaches a crumbly consistency. You don’t want to turn it into a fine powder.

Melt the Butter: Ensure the butter is fully melted before adding it to the crumble. This helps the ingredients come together and stick to the frosting better.

Customize the Crunch: If you prefer a smoother topping, you can use only the freeze-dried strawberries and omit the Oreos. Alternatively, add more Oreos if you like the extra crunch.

Add Color: For extra vibrancy, you can add a tiny bit of food coloring (red or pink) to the frosting to make it match the strawberry theme and make the cupcakes even more visually appealing.

More Strawberry Desserts

• Strawberry Mochi Cake
• Strawberry Crunch Cookies
• Strawberry Coconut Balls
• Strawberry Milk Cake