Easy Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes with Fluffy Buttercream: Your New Favorite Dessert!

Strawberry cupcakes are a timeless classic, beloved throughout the year. While they shine brightest during peak strawberry season when fresh berries are abundant, their delightful flavor can truly be enjoyed at any time. Imagine, for instance, serving these exquisite Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes as a sophisticated yet wonderfully comforting dessert for your next Christmas dinner menu. It’s a delightful twist that’s sure to impress!

This recipe for Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes is particularly versatile. It features a tender, moist ricotta sponge and a luscious strawberry buttercream made from fresh strawberries, creating a harmonious balance of flavors and textures. The subtle tang of ricotta perfectly complements the sweet burst of strawberries, making these cupcakes a standout dessert for any occasion, whether it’s a casual get-together or an opulent holiday feast.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes

Prepare to be enchanted by these delightful cupcakes! Here’s why this recipe will quickly become a favorite:

• Unrivaled Texture: The addition of ricotta cheese to the sponge cake batter results in an incredibly light, moist, and fluffy texture. Unlike traditional cupcakes that can sometimes be dense, these ricotta cupcakes are airy and tender, practically melting in your mouth.
• Enhanced Strawberry Flavor: The subtle, creamy ricotta sponge acts as the perfect canvas, allowing the vibrant, fresh strawberry flavor to truly shine and dominate. Each bite is packed with authentic strawberry goodness, amplified by the delicate cake.
• Balanced Sweetness: Ricotta naturally contributes a gentle sweetness and richness, meaning the sponge isn’t overly sugary. This balance ensures the fresh taste of strawberries is prominent, making these cupcakes a refreshing change from overly sweet desserts.
• Visually Appealing: With their soft pink buttercream frosting and optional festive sprinkles, these cupcakes are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. They’re sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face!
• Perfect for Any Season: While strawberries are a summer fruit, frozen strawberries can easily be used for the buttercream, making these cupcakes a treat you can enjoy all year round, even when fresh berries are out of season.

These Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes are more than just a dessert; they’re an experience. The delicate crumb, the burst of fresh berry, and the creamy frosting combine to create a treat that will truly make your heart sing!

🍓 More Strawberry Recipes for You to Try:

• Austrian Strawberry Sponge Cake: A classic light and airy sponge cake layered with fresh strawberries.
• Strawberry Flavored Whipped Cream: Perfect for topping any dessert or fresh fruit.
• Strawberry Cobbler: An easy and comforting baked fruit dessert.
• Strawberry Simple Syrup: Ideal for flavoring drinks, cocktails, or drizzling over pancakes.
• Strawberry Popsicles: A refreshing and healthy summer treat.
• Strawberry Spritz: A bubbly and refreshing drink perfect for warm days.
• No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake: Creamy, dreamy, and incredibly easy to make.
• Strawberry Milkshake: A classic, indulgent blend of strawberries and ice cream.
• Strawberry Cream: A light and luxurious dessert or filling.
• Strawberry Milk: A delightful and simple homemade flavored milk.
• Strawberry Moscow Mule: A fruity twist on the classic cocktail.

🥘 Essential Ingredients for Your Cupcakes

Creating these delightful Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes requires a few key ingredients for both the moist sponge and the vibrant buttercream. Using high-quality, fresh ingredients will make all the difference in the final taste and texture.

For the Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

• Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show! Use ripe, sweet strawberries for the most intense natural flavor and beautiful pink color.
• Soft Unsalted Butter: Ensure your butter is at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free buttercream. Unsalted allows you to control the salt content.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Essential for a silky-smooth frosting that dissolves easily, avoiding any grainy texture.

For the Ricotta Cupcake Sponge

• Ricotta Cheese: The secret ingredient for an incredibly moist and light sponge. Opt for whole milk ricotta for the best results.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural base of your cupcakes.
• Powdered Sugar: Contributes to the delicate sweetness and fine texture of the sponge.
• Unsalted Butter: Again, at room temperature for easy creaming and a tender crumb.
• Whole Milk: Adds moisture and richness to the batter.
• Baking Soda: The leavening agent that helps the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
• Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help bind the ingredients. Make sure they are at room temperature.
• White Chocolate: Adds a subtle sweetness and creamy depth to the sponge. You can use a bar, chips, or callets.

Optional Decorations:

• Sugar sprinkles or edible glitter of your liking. These are fantastic for adding a festive touch, especially during holidays!

🍽 Essential Baking Equipment

Having the right tools on hand will make the baking process smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s what you’ll need to create these delicious Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes:

• Food Processor or Electric Mixer: Crucial for creaming butter and sugar and mixing the cupcake batter to a smooth consistency. A stand mixer is ideal, but a hand-held electric mixer works perfectly too.
• Immersion Blender or Regular Blender: Essential for pureeing the fresh strawberries into a smooth consistency for your vibrant buttercream.
• 12-Cup Muffin Tin or Cupcake Molds: For baking your cupcakes. If using a metal tin, greasing it well or using liners is important.
• Piping (Pastry) Bag with Star Tip: To create those beautiful, professional-looking swirls of strawberry buttercream. I highly recommend a star tip like the Wilton star tip used in the photographs for a classic look.
• Three Medium Mixing Bowls: For separating dry and wet ingredients and for making the buttercream.
• Two Cooking Pots (or Microwave-Safe Bowls): For carefully melting the white chocolate couverture.
• Cooling Rack: Indispensable for allowing your cupcakes to cool completely after baking, preventing them from becoming soggy.

🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Perfect Cupcakes

Baking these Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes is a straightforward process, but a few key steps will ensure your success. Remember to have all your dairy ingredients at room temperature before you begin – this ensures they blend smoothly and create a tender, uniform batter.

Creating the Light Ricotta Cupcake Sponge

1. Preheat and Prepare: Start by preheating your oven to 356 °F / 180 °C. Prepare your muffin tins by greasing them thoroughly with butter. This ensures your cupcakes will release easily after baking.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and powdered sugar. This ensures they are well combined before adding wet ingredients.

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4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, gently whisk two eggs, the softened unsalted butter, and milk until combined. Remember, room temperature ingredients emulsify much better.
5. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix them with your food processor or electric mixer on medium speed until a smooth dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cupcakes.

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7. Prepare the Chocolate: While the batter comes together, melt your white chocolate couverture. Alternatively, if you prefer small chocolate chips in your cupcake batter for added texture and bursts of flavor, you can use them in their solid form. For a variation, consider using dark chocolate if you desire a richer, deeper flavor in your sponge. Both white and dark chocolate pair wonderfully with the bright strawberry buttercream frosting.
8. Fold in Ricotta and Chocolate: Gently stir the melted (or chopped) chocolate and the ricotta cheese into the cupcake mixture. Fold them in until just combined, maintaining the light and airy texture of the batter.

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10. Fill and Bake: Fill each muffin cup halfway with the ricotta mixture. Since you’ve already greased the tins, there’s no need for additional cupcake liners unless you prefer them. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking times can vary depending on your oven; my older oven typically takes closer to 20 minutes for perfect results.
11. Cool Completely: Once baked, take the cupcake sponges out of the oven and immediately transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting. This is a crucial step to prevent your buttercream from melting!

How to Make Perfect Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

While your cupcake sponges are cooling, it’s the ideal time to prepare the vibrant and creamy Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.

1. Prepare Strawberry Puree: First, wash, clean, and chop your fresh strawberries. Then, blend them into a smooth puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender. If the puree isn’t as fine as you’d like or contains noticeable seeds, you can sieve it through a fine-mesh strainer (hair sieve) for an ultra-smooth consistency. I personally use the Nutri Bullet Pro, which creates a wonderfully smooth puree that rarely requires straining.
2. Whip the Butter: In a clean mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with your electric mixer for about five minutes. This process incorporates air, making the butter light and fluffy, which is key for a good buttercream.

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4. Incorporate Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the whipped butter. This step prevents lumps. Mix it into the butter spoonful by spoonful on low speed, gradually increasing speed until fully incorporated and smooth.
5. Add Strawberry Puree: For the next step, slowly add the strawberry puree to the buttercream, again, a spoonful at a time. Mix on low speed after each addition until fully combined.

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7. Achieve Homogeneity: It’s essential to ensure that you only add more strawberry puree once the previous addition has completely combined with the buttercream, forming a homogeneous, smooth mass. This prevents the buttercream from breaking or becoming watery.

Assemble and Decorate Your Delicious Cupcakes

Now for the fun part – assembling and decorating your beautiful Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes!

1. Prepare Piping Bag: Once your strawberry buttercream frosting is ready and your cupcakes are completely cooled, fill a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (or your preferred tip).
2. Frost the Cupcakes: Place the cooled cupcake sponges on your working surface. Starting from the outside edge and moving inwards, pipe the strawberry buttercream onto each cupcake in a decorative swirl.

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4. Optional Decoration: For an extra special touch, especially if serving for a holiday like Christmas, you can decorate the frosted muffins with festive sugar sprinkles or edible glitter.
5. Serve with Style: Serve these homemade Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes either elegantly arranged on a large dessert platter, tiered on an etagère for a grand presentation, or individually on dessert plates for a more personalized touch.

🍓 More Delicious Strawberry Creations

If you’re a fan of strawberries, you’ll love exploring these other delightful recipes:

• Austrian Strawberry Sponge Cake: A classic light cake, perfect for showcasing fresh strawberries.
• Strawberry Cream: A versatile and luscious cream that can be a dessert on its own or a delightful topping.
• Strawberry Flavored Whipped Cream: Elevate any dessert with this sweet and airy topping.
• Strawberry Cobbler: A warm, comforting dessert with a sweet biscuit topping.
• Strawberry Simple Syrup: A homemade syrup that’s perfect for drinks, pancakes, and more.
• Strawberry Popsicles: A refreshing and healthy frozen treat.
• Strawberry Spritz: A light, bubbly, and fruity drink for any occasion.
• No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake: An easy, creamy, and delightful cheesecake with fresh strawberry flavor.
• Strawberry Milkshake: A timeless and indulgent classic for strawberry lovers.
• Strawberry Moscow Mule: A refreshing cocktail with a sweet strawberry twist.

Feeling playful? You might also enjoy these adorable pig cupcakes for a different kind of cute treat!

🙋🏻 Frequently Asked Questions about Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes

How to Store Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes?

To keep your Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. If your kitchen is very warm or if your buttercream contains fresh cream cheese (which this recipe doesn’t, but some do), refrigeration might be necessary. When placing the lid on the container, be mindful of the frosting to ensure it doesn’t get squished!

Can You Freeze Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes?

Yes, you can freeze the cupcake sponges, but it’s best to do so before they are frosted. Wrap individual unfrosted sponges tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When ready to use, thaw them at room temperature before frosting. The finished, frosted cupcakes, however, should not be frozen as the buttercream’s texture can become grainy or watery upon thawing, and the fresh strawberries might weep.

Fancy more Christmas Dessert inspirations? Check out the Waffle Blossoms with Chestnut puree recipe or my Egg Liqueur Parfait recipe! Even more dessert recipes you are going to find in the Christmas Dinner Cookbook!

If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don’t miss it.

📖 Recipe: Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes

⛑️ Food Safety Guidelines

Ensuring food safety is paramount when preparing any meal, especially baked goods. Please follow these general guidelines to prevent foodborne illness:

• Minimum Cooking Temperature: Always ensure your cupcakes reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
• Separate Utensils: Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw ingredients (like eggs or unbaked batter) without thorough washing.
• Hand Washing: Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling raw ingredients.
• Temperature Control: Do not leave perishable food items, such as buttercream-frosted cupcakes (especially if using dairy-based frosting, even if not in this recipe), sitting out at room temperature for extended periods. Once cooled, store promptly.
• Supervise Cooking: Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Cooking Oils: If you were to use oils in a different recipe, always use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Ventilation: Always ensure good ventilation when using a gas stove or oven.

For further comprehensive information on safe food handling practices, please refer to the official guidelines from Safe Food Handling – FDA.