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Air Fryer Strawberry Cupcakes

Air Fryer Strawberry Cupcakes are one of my favorite things to bake when fresh strawberries are in season and I want something that looks as good as it tastes. Real chopped strawberries fold right into the soft, fluffy batter, and the strawberry cream frosting is light, buttery, and naturally that beautiful blush pink. The air fryer speeds things up nicely, which makes them easy to pull off even on a busy day. I love making these for spring birthdays, Mother's Day, and baby showers because they always look stunning on a dessert table.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Strawberry Cupcakes
Servings: 12
Calories: 503kcal
Author: Mandy Applegate

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

For the strawberry cream frosting:

  • ¼ cup fresh strawberries pureed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
    ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries.
    ½ cup milk, 1 cup fresh strawberries
  • Divide the batter evenly among the liners.
  • Air fry at 350°F ( 180°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  • Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and strawberry puree, mixing until smooth and fluffy. Adjust the amount of puree as needed for desired consistency.
    ¼ cup fresh strawberries, 1 cup unsalted butter, 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish with fresh strawberry slices if desired.

Notes

Here are a few things I've learned from making these Air Fryer Strawberry Cupcakes more than once!
Use fresh strawberries, not frozen: Frozen strawberries release too much liquid and can make the batter watery and the texture dense, so stick with fresh for the best results.
Finely chop the strawberries: The smaller the pieces, the better they distribute through the batter and the less they weigh down any single bite.
Don't skip alternating the dry and wet ingredients: Adding the flour and milk alternately keeps the batter smooth and prevents overmixing, which leads to tougher cupcakes.
Cool completely before frosting: If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, the butter-based frosting will melt and slide off instead of holding its shape.
Adjust the frosting consistency with puree: If the frosting is too thick, add a little more strawberry puree one teaspoon at a time. If it gets too soft, add a bit more sifted powdered sugar until it holds a swirl.
Store properly: Once frosted, keep the cupcakes chilled in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If unfrosted, you can store them at room temp for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cupcakes completely before frosting them.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 767IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
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