Name: Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tbsp strawberry jam or preserves; 1/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries; 1 1/4 cups flour; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 1/4 tsp baking powder; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3 egg whites; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 4 drops pink food coloring; 1/3 cup milk; 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 6-8 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 cup cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3-4 drops green food gel dye

Jump to Recipe· 4.5 from 36 reviews

If you’ve ever dreamed of a cupcake that’s bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and topped with a fun, vibrant twist, you’re going to adore this Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe. It’s one of those recipes that feels like a celebration in every bite — soft strawberry cupcakes, a luscious green vanilla buttercream, and those quirky “monster” strawberries on top that make it totally memorable. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll want to make them again and again, whether it’s for a birthday, a special occasion, or just a weekend treat.

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Why This Recipe Works

Moist & Flavorful Cupcakes: The fresh strawberries combined with preserves keep these cupcakes juicy and packed with real fruit flavor.
Vibrant Contrast: The green vanilla buttercream frosting isn’t just for looks — it brings creamy sweetness that balances the tartness of the strawberry perfectly.
Fun Presentation: Those monster strawberries add playful charm and texture, making these cupcakes unforgettable at any party.
Easy to Customize: With simple ingredients and flexible frosting, you can easily tweak this recipe to suit your taste or dietary needs.

The image shows three cupcakes on a white plate with a white marbled textured surface underneath and around it. Each cupcake has a light pink cake base in a white paper cup, topped with a thick swirl of green frosting with a smooth but slightly ridged texture from the piping. On top of the frosting of each cupcake, there is a red strawberry that is sliced in half and hollowed in the center to look like a mouth with small white candy pieces resembling teeth inside and black filling as the inside of the mouth. Around the cupcakes on the plate, there are three more strawberry halves, each similarly decorated like a mouth with candy teeth inside. There are small dark crumbs or crushed cookies scattered around the cupcakes and strawberry halves on the plate. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The charm of this Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe isn’t just in the technique—it’s in the ingredients working harmoniously. Each item was chosen to bring out the best strawberry flavor and create the perfect texture, so it’s worth picking fresh, quality ingredients where you can.

Strawberry jam or preserves: Adds rich, concentrated strawberry sweetness that blends beautifully into the batter.
Fresh strawberries: Gives those bursts of juicy freshness and natural texture you want in strawberry cupcakes.
Flour: All-purpose works perfectly here, providing the structure needed without weighing down the cupcakes.
Baking powder: Ensures the cupcakes rise nicely and stay fluffy.
Sugar: Sweetens and helps create that tender crumb we all love.
Unsalted butter: A great butter flavor is key, and unsalted lets you control the salt level in your cupcakes.
Egg whites: Whisked into the cake for a lighter texture—plus, they help with the structure without adding extra fat.
Vanilla extract: Boosts overall flavor and rounds out the strawberry notes.
Pink food coloring: A fun touch to give your cupcakes that pretty strawberry-pink hue.
Milk: Adds moisture and helps tie all dry ingredients together for the ideal cupcake texture.
Butter (for frosting): The backbone of that dreamy vanilla buttercream that pairs like a dream with strawberry flavors.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps achieve that silky, smooth consistency.
Cream: Makes the frosting light and creamy, perfect for piping those monster swirls.
Green gel food dye: For that vibrant “monster” look that steals the show!

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tweak to Your Taste

I love how this Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe lets your creativity shine. Whether you want to go sweeter, add some tang, or make it vegan-friendly, there’s always a way to make it your own.

Variation: I’ve tried swapping out the green food coloring in the frosting for a soft pastel pink, which gave the cupcakes a lovely “strawberries and cream” vibe — beautiful for a baby shower!
Dairy-free adjustment: Using coconut oil instead of butter for the cupcakes and a dairy-free butter substitute for the frosting worked great when I made these for a friend with lactose intolerance.
Fresh herb twist: Adding a tiny bit of finely chopped fresh mint into the strawberry mixture gave the cupcakes a surprising, refreshing lift that guests loved.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Strawberry Base

Start by mixing the chopped fresh strawberries with your favorite strawberry jam or preserves in a small bowl. This blend is the flavor-packed heart of your cupcakes, so make sure the fresh strawberries are ripe and juicy — that makes all the difference! It’s a simple step but sets the stage for that signature strawberry zing.

Step 2: Get Dry Ingredients Ready

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. Combining your dry ingredients first helps distribute the rising agent evenly for a perfectly fluffy cupcake every time. Pro tip: sift the flour if you can—it helps avoid any lumps and makes mixing smoother.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

Using your mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter with the sugar until it’s light and fluffy — about 3-5 minutes. This process traps air that translates to tender cupcakes. Remember, don’t rush this part; it really pays off in texture.

Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients and Color

Gently mix in the egg whites one at a time, vanilla extract, and those drops of pink food coloring. Because egg whites can be a tad tricky, adding them gradually helps keep your batter smooth and light without curdling. When fully incorporated, your batter should have that subtle pink blush that screams strawberry fun.

Step 5: Combine Dry Ingredients and Milk

Mix the dry ingredients with the milk, beating on low speed. This steady, gentle mixing ensures everything blends evenly without overmixing, which can make cupcakes dense. Once combined, fold in the strawberry and preserve mixture carefully — you want those chunks to stay intact and dispersed throughout the batter.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Fill your cupcake liners about three-quarters full — it’s tempting to overdo it, but this amount gives them room to rise without spilling over. Bake at 350°F for around 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I recommend checking around minute 22 to avoid over-baking. Cool completely before frosting.

Step 7: Whip Up the Vanilla Buttercream

With your mixer’s paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter until it’s light and fluffy — this is key for that silky frosting. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract slowly, starting with 6 cups of sugar and adding more a cup at a time until you get your desired thickness. Finally, mix in the green gel food coloring until you achieve that classic monster green shade.

Step 8: Decorate with Monster Charm

Pipe generous swirls of your green buttercream over each cupcake and top with crushed Oreo crumbs for a spooky soil effect. Then finish with your fun “monster strawberries”—a playful way to turn ordinary strawberries into little creepy crawlies using simple edible decorations. It’s such a crowd-pleaser!

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Pro Tips for Making Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Room Temperature Ingredients: Always use butter, eggs, and cream at room temp for better mixing and texture.
Don’t Overmix: When adding dry ingredients, mix just until combined to keep cupcakes light and tender.
Chill the Frosting: If your frosting feels too soft, chill for 10 minutes—it pipes better and holds shape beautifully.
Check Freshness: Use ripe strawberries and fresh jam to keep the flavor vibrant and not flat or overly sweet.

How to Serve Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Six cupcakes each with one layer of light pink cake topped with a swirl of dark green frosting are shown. Each cupcake is decorated with a whole red strawberry on top that has white candy pieces arranged inside a small mouth shape. Four cupcakes are on a square white plate with beaded edges placed on a white cloth with blue flowers, and one cupcake is on a small white plate with yellow flowers. In front, there is a small white bowl filled with dark cookie crumbs and three strawberries with white candy mouths placed on top. The whole scene is set on a white marbled texture with a red and white checkered cloth underneath. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I personally love topping these with a sprinkle of crushed Oreos to mimic “monster dirt” and adding little candy eyes to my strawberries for that whimsical monster look. If you want a lighter touch, fresh mint leaves or edible flowers add a beautiful contrast, especially for spring or summer gatherings.

Side Dishes

Pair these cupcakes with a simple vanilla latte or a refreshing iced green tea to compliment the fruity richness. For a party, think light finger sandwiches or fresh fruit platters — these cupcakes are quite rich, so something fresh balances nicely.

Creative Ways to Present

One of my favorite touches has been serving these Monster Strawberry Cupcakes in a “garden” setup — place them on plates surrounded by fresh strawberries and sprigs of mint for a magical look. For Halloween or kids’ parties, line up cupcakes with little monster-themed picks or edible googly eyes for extra fun and flair.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I like to store leftover Monster Strawberry Cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge — they’ll keep well up to 3 days. Just allow them to come to room temperature before serving to revive softness and flavor.

Freezing

These cupcakes freeze really well without the frosting; I usually freeze the cupcakes alone, then thaw and frost them fresh. If you want to freeze the frosted version, pop them in a sealed container and freeze, but expect slight frosting texture changes once thawed.

Reheating

For cupcakes taken from the fridge or freezer, warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds per cupcake to bring out fresh-baked softness. Avoid over-heating or they could dry out or melt the frosting.

FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries for this recipe?

Yes, but I recommend thawing and draining them well first to avoid adding too much extra moisture, which can affect the cupcake texture negatively. Fresh strawberries tend to work best for that perfect bite and flavor.
What’s the best way to make those monster strawberries?

I like to use small edible candy eyes and a little chocolate or icing to create “monster teeth” and faces. It’s a fun project that turns plain strawberries into delightful cupcake toppers.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Definitely! Substitute the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free blend, making sure it contains a binder like xanthan gum to keep the texture right. The cupcakes will still be moist and delicious.
How do I avoid cupcakes sinking in the middle?

Overmixing or baking at too low a temperature can cause this. Mix just until combined and bake exactly at 350°F and for the full 25 minutes. Use an oven thermometer if you’re unsure about your oven’s accuracy.
Can I prepare the frosting a day ahead?

Yes! Store it covered tightly in the fridge and bring to room temperature before whipping again briefly to restore that creamy texture. It makes decorating the next day a breeze.

Final Thoughts

This Monster Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe holds a special place in my kitchen. It blends my love for fresh fruit, bright colors, and playful presentation in one bite-sized delight. Whether it’s a casual Sunday baking experiment or your next party’s showstopper, these cupcakes never fail to impress and bring smiles. Give them a try, follow the tips, and I promise you’ll have your own little monster favorites soon!