If there was a fruit designated to each holiday, strawberries and Valentine’s Day would go hand in hand. Between the combination of a delicate strawberry speckled cupcake base paired with a sweet and slightly tart curd, these Strawberry Curd filled Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream are sure to leave all recipients swooning. My mission with these cupcakes was to create the perfect balance of sweetness which I have to say, was successfully accomplished!

These dreamy, delicate, and boozy Valentine’s Day cupcakes have:

• A soft and tender cupcake base speckled with fresh strawberries and lemon zest
• A sweet and slightly tangy strawberry curd filling
• A luscious buttercream flavored with Strawberries & Cream Baileys, vanilla, and a splash of almond
• A sprinkle of mini chocolate chips and a heart-shaped Stroopwafel garnish

These festive cupcakes feature strawberries 3 ways – freshly chopped and incorporated into the cupcake batter, cooked down into a sweet curd, and infused into the buttercream by means of Bailey’s new Strawberries & Cream flavor.

Recipe used for the strawberry cupcakes:

Recipe link: Strawberry Cupcakes by Cupcake Project

If you need a cupcake recipe that is guaranteed to be soft and full of flavor, check out Stefanie’s collection over on her blog, Cupcake Project. She has my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe and an insanely delicious banana cupcake and roasted banana curd I paired together a few months back with a brown butter frosting.

I love this strawberry cupcake recipe because it is simple – you don’t need to make a strawberry reduction. It is flavored with fresh, chopped strawberries, lemon zest, and vanilla. With these flavors combined, the cupcake itself is perfectly delicate and simply delicious.

Tips for making the strawberry cupcakes:

Fill the cupcake liners lower than usual: These cupcakes rise a LOT. I recommend filling the liners half full or baking a test cupcake to see how they rise with your oven temperature and cupcake liners.

Check your cupcakes early: As all ovens can run differently, so check your cupcakes before the 25 minute mark. Mine were done a few minutes sooner. If a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, they are ready to be removed.

Use good quality strawberries: The only strawberry flavor that goes into the cake base is from the freshly chopped berries. For this reason, it is best to find the most flavorful strawberries available with a rich red hue and minimal white centers.

Recipe used for the strawberry curd:

Recipe link: Strawberry Curd by Bakes by Brown Sugar

Fruit curd might simply be the most delicious filling you can ever use in cupcakes. This strawberry curd is no exception. It is sweet, tart, and absolutely scrumptious eaten straight by the spoonful. When paired with a soft strawberry cupcake it is a match made in heaven.

Tips for making the strawberry curd:

Use good quality strawberries. As noted above for the cupcakes, be sure to use flavorful berries in this strawberry curd recipe. They are the main driver of flavor and can make or break how it turns out. Look for bright, fully red berries that do not have white, yellow, or greenish tips.

Use a thermometer to determine when the curd is done. Curd can be a bit intimidating, but using a thermometer helps provide reassurance that it was cooked properly. I have been using this thermometer by KitchenAid and love knowing that the curd isn’t over or under cooked.

Cover the curd with Saran Wrap immediately after cooking. As curd cools, a film often forms on the surface that is exposed to the air. While the curd is still warm, place a layer of saran wrap over the entire surface of the curd. Once the curd cools, you can remove the plastic wrap and don’t have to worry about the film forming again.

Recipe used for the Strawberries & Cream Baileys buttercream frosting:

Recipe link: Baileys Buttercream Frosting by Sweet Mouth Joy

Tips for making the Strawberries & Cream Baileys Buttercream:

First things first – Pick up a bottle of Baileys Strawberries & Cream! I found it at my local Total Wine.

As soon as I saw Baileys released this limited flavor, my wheels immediately started turning thinking of all the different desserts this could be incorporated into. It is described as having flavors of ripe strawberry and vanilla, mingling with gorgeous Baileys Original Irish Cream. Let me tell you – it is absolutely dreamy when incorporated into a buttercream.

Double the recipe. Since the look we are going for here are tall swirls, and this recipe makes 15 cupcakes, doubling the recipe is necessary to ensure there will be enough frosting to decorate them.

Add almond extract. Since strawberry and almond go together so seamlessly, I couldn’t help but add a dash to the buttercream. I incorporated 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring along with the vanilla (add more or less to taste).

How to assemble and decorate the Strawberry Curd filled Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream:

Below you will find baking tips along with how to core, fill, and frost your strawberry cupcakes:

1. Prepare the strawberry curd in advance. To save time and allow the curd to chill and firm up, prepare it ahead of time. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
2. Bake the strawberry cupcakes and allow them to fully cool. Be sure to fill your cupcake liners lower than usual to accommodate for how much these cupcakes rise and check on them a bit early to prevent over-baking.
3. Use an apple corer to core the cupcakes. An apple corer makes carving out the inside of the cupcakes a breeze! If you don’t have one, you can use a small knife or the back-end of a large piping tip.
4. Fill the cupcakes with the strawberry curd. Fill a piping bag with the chilled strawberry curd and dispense enough to fill the carved out portion of the center of the cupcake to the top.
5. Prepare the Baileys Strawberry & Cream buttercream. Double the recipe to ensure you have enough buttercream to frost all the cupcakes and add 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring for a delicious twist.
6. Pipe a tall swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes. Using a Wilton 2D piping tip, pipe a tall swirl of the Baileys buttercream on top of the curd filled cupcakes.
7. Make a Stroopwafel heart garnish. Using a mini heart cookie cutter, press it into Stroopwafels to get adorable waffle-inspired hearts!
8. Decorate the frosted cupcakes. Sprinkle the cupcakes with mini chocolate chips, add your mini heart Stroopwafel garnish on top, and enjoy your scrumptious masterpiece!

These Strawberry Curd filled Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream are a Valentine’s treat that will undoubtedly be gushed over. From the unique twists of adding a strawberry curd filling and boozy frosting, to the beautiful sprinkle of mini chocolate chips that add a delectable crunch – strawberry cupcakes will never be looked at the same way again.

If you’re having bakers-block for what dessert to make this Valentine’s Day (or really, any other day) these strawberry cupcakes will satisfy anyone’s sweet treat craving. They are delicate and light, filled with a fruity and vibrant curd, infused with Irish cream, and decorated with love. Prepare to win over countless hearts when giving these out to your Valentines!

If you like this recipe, I think you’ll also love:

• Mini Strawberry Oreo Cheesecakes
• Copycat Crumbl Circus Animal Sugar Cookies
• Roasted Banana Curd Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting
• Pink and White Striped Heart Sugar Cookies

Strawberry Curd filled Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream

Recipe by AshleyCourse: DessertsCuisine: American

Servings

15

cupcakes

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Chilling time

4

hours

These strawberry cupcakes are the most delectable and festive treat for Valentine’s Day. They have a soft cake base made with fresh strawberries, a sweet and tangy strawberry curd filling, and a dreamy Baileys Strawberries & Cream buttercream. Top them with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips and a heart shaped Stroopwafel and you will be everyone’s favorite Valentine!

Ingredients

• 1 batch Strawberry Cupcakes by Cupcake Project

• 1 batch Strawberry Curd by Bakes by Brown Sugar

• 2x batch Strawberries & Cream Baileys Buttercream Frosting by Sweet Mouth Joy

• Additional Ingredients Needed:

• Mini Stroopwafels

• Almond flavor or almond extract

• Helpful Tools:

• Apple corer

• Wilton 2D piping tip

• Mini heart cookie cutter

• Cooking thermometer

Directions

• Prepare the strawberry curd in advance, as it needs time to chill. Be sure to use flavorful berries and cover the curd with Saran Wrap immediately after cooking to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
• Prepare and bake the strawberry cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners lower than usual as they rise significantly, and check them early to prevent over-baking.
• Once the cupcakes have cooled, carve out a hole in the center using an apple corer or small knife.
• Next, pour the chilled curd into a plastic piping bag, cut a small corner off the tip of the bag, and fill the center of the cupcakes.
• Prepare the Strawberry & Cream Baileys Buttercream.
  ~ Double the recipe
  ~ Use Baileys Strawberry & Cream Liquor
  ~ Add 1/2 teaspoon almond flavor or extract
  
  
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D piping tip with the Baileys buttercream and pipe a tall swirl of frosting onto each curd filled cupcake.
• Decorate the cupcakes with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips and a heart-shaped Stroopwafel.
  Note: To make the festive Stroopwafel, press a mini heart cookie cutter into a Stroopwafel to create this shape.
• Store in the refrigerator and enjoy your masterpiece!

Notes

• Make a test batch of cupcakes or fill them lower than the usual 2/3 full as they rise quite a bit.
• Use fresh and flavorful strawberries in the cupcakes and especially the curd, as this fruit is the main driver of flavor.
• Cover the curd with Saran Wrap to prevent a film from forming on the top as it cools.

Pin for later!

If you make this dessert or have any questions, please leave a comment below! I absolutely love hearing when others are inspired to step into their kitchen and try out something new.

Happy Baking!

XOXO,