These vegan strawberry shortcake cupcakes are insanely delicious. With a golden oreo bottom, strawberry in the center of the cupcake, and a biscuit shortcake topped with a fresh strawberry frosting you can't go wrong with this tasty dessert.
I love desserts with fresh strawberries. There is something so tasty about a juicy strawberry.
These vegan cupcakes do not disappoint.
I was hesitant if I was even going to call them cupcakes when I think cupcakes I think of a moist vanilla cake with a light crumb.
This however is a straight-up shortcake biscuit.
Which is my preferred type of vegan strawberry shortcake anyways.
But don't let the biscuit cake detour you.
After taking the first bite of these shortcakes you will be hooked. I mean who doesn't like a strawberry filling?
Like a legit strawberry, not just a strawberry filling.
And a golden oreo bottom? I mean come on.... SO good!
The first time I made these for a trial run my family went absolutely crazy, except for the picky child....
He looked at it and said no thanks, no thanks?!
I'm not sure where he came from I mean who doesn't want a delicious strawberry dessert?
It's totally fine though, my husband, myself, and my other son had no trouble eating the rest of the batch.
Recipe Q &A
Can I use frozen strawberries?
No, this recipe will only work with fresh strawberries. There is too much water in the frozen strawberries to make this work.
These are awesome during strawberry season, but I also like to make these for a vegan valentines day dessert. They are pink and so pretty!
How big do my strawberries need to be?
I had fairly big strawberries and I cut them down fairly small. You want the berry tip to barely stick out the top, so it can be covered by frosting and not be seen.
Use the cut-off strawberry for the frosting.
Also, you want to make sure you have room for the batter and not just a giant strawberry in the middle.
How do I puree my strawberries?
You can use a blender, immersion blender, or small food processor. Ideally, it's strong enough to blend the strawberry seeds.
What do I need for these vegan homemade cupcakes?
- flour
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- salt
- baking powder
- vegan butter
- vegan milk with ½ TB vinegar (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, whatever non-dairy milk)
- almond extract
- pure vanilla extract or whatever you have
- golden oreo cookies
- strawberries (whole strawberry and strawberry puree)
- powdered sugar or icing sugar
How do I make these vegan strawberry shortcake cupcakes?
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Take a 12-cup muffin pan line it with cupcake liners and set it aside.
Now let's make the cupcake batter.
Make your vegan buttermilk by taking an empty liquid measuring cup, adding ½ TB white vinegar to your ½ cup of vegan milk, set aside.
Get a large bowl put all your dry ingredients in the bowl and then whisk flour and the dry ingredients together.
Take your cold vegan butter and cut it into small pieces, then add it to the flour and cut in with a pastry cutter until it's coarse crumbs and evenly distributed.
Mix your wet ingredients by adding your extracts to the vegan buttermilk and then pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture.
Stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated, don't over stir. Like you are making biscuits.
Take your prepared muffin tin and put a golden oreo in each liner.
Then take a small to medium cookie scoop and scoop an even amount of batter in each muffin tin over the oreo cookie. *this is a thick batter.
Now take your strawberry that's cut to size so it doesn't stick out of the cupcakes too far and shove the flat side down through the middle until it hits the cookie. *see photos if this is confusing.
Repeat until all the cupcakes have a strawberry in the middle.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Check with a toothpick at 12 minutes to see if it's done, don't overbake.
Let cool completely before frosting.
While your cupcakes are cooking chop up your strawberries place the chopped berries in a small saucepan and cook for about 5-9 minutes stirring constantly to reduce the liquid. It should be at about half the amount it was and thick.
Set aside and cool completely before making the frosting.
I stick mine in the fridge to cool quicker.
Make your frosting.
Take a medium bowl and get your electric mixer or hand mixer. Add your vegan butter, whip this for 1 minute, then add your confectioners' sugar and whip slowly until incorporated.
If you're using a stand mixer then fit it with the whisk attachment and follow the same directions.
Now add your cooked cooled strawberries and mix for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.
If your frosting gets curdled, try warming it up by getting a separate large mixing bowl, filling it with really warm water, then adding the frosting bowl into the bath without getting any liquid in the frosting.
Let it warm up for a few minutes, then whip it again for a few minutes; this isn't a pipping frosting. It's more of a soft melt in your mouth frosting.
Frost your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
If you want to add a little bit of flair to the top of each cupcake you can add either a sprinkle of golden oreo, a piece of strawberry or a piece of the cookie.
This does make more frosting than you will likely use. You can take graham crackers and put the strawberry frosting between two like a sandwich and place it in the fridge or freezer.
Store leftovers, if you have any, in an air-tight container.
Want some other delicious vegan desserts?
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Shortcakes
- 1 cup flour
- 1 TB white sugar
- 1 TB brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold vegan butter
- ½ cup vegan milk with ½ TB vinegar
- ½ TB baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 golden oreo cookies
- 12 strawberries cut to size
Frosting
- ½ cup chopped strawberries
- 1 stick room temperature vegan butter
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Take a muffin tin line it with liners and set it aside.
- Make your vegan buttermilk by taking an empty liquid measuring cup, adding ½ TB white vinegar to your ½ cup of vegan milk, set aside.
- Get a medium mixing bowl put all your dry ingredients and mix.
- Take your cold butter and cut it into small pieces, then add it to the flour and cut in with a pastry cutter until it's coarse crumbs and evenly distributed.
- Add your extracts to the vegan buttermilk and then pour the buttermilk/extracts into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated, don't over stir.
- Take your prepared muffin tin and put a golden oreo in each liner. Then take a small to medium cookie scoop and scoop an even amount of batter in each muffin tin over the oreo cookie. *this is a thick batter. Now take your strawberry that's cut to size so it doesn't stick out of the cupcakes too far and shove the flat side down through the middle until it hits the cookie. *see photos if this is confusing. Repeat until all the cupcakes have a strawberry in the middle.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Check with a toothpick at 12 minutes to see if it's done, don't overbake. Let cool completely before frosting.
- While your cupcakes are cooking chop your strawberries place the strawberries in a small saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly to reduce the liquid. Or you can do this in the microwave by putting it in a 2 cup liquid measuring glass and cooking it for 1 minute, then at 30-second intervals until it has reduced to ¼ cup. Set aside and cool completely before making the frosting. I stick mine in the fridge to cool quicker.
- Make your frosting. Take a medium mixing bowl and add your vegan butter, whip this for 1 minute, then add 2 cups of your powdered sugar add your cooked strawberry and mix for 2-3 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if you need to. If your frosting gets curdled try warming it up by getting a larger bowl, filling it with warm water, then add the frosting bowl into the bath without getting any liquid in the frosting. Let it warm up for a few minutes then whip it again for a few minutes, This isn't a pipping frosting. It's more of a soft melt in your mouth frosting.
- Frost your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Shannon says
So good and so easy! They taste just like mini strawberry shortcakes