Strawberries are our last link to that sweet summer bounty. Strawberries are grown year-round in California, where numerous varieties have been bred to accommodate the different soils and climates.*

So while we’re making seasonal pumpkin desserts, carrot cakes and apple pies, we just had to make these summery strawberry shortcake cupcakes:

Here’s a recipe for yellow cupcakes.

Here’s a video recipe for whipped cream, loaded with important professional tips.

You don’t have to use as much whipped cream frosting as shown in the photo—although it is a lovely excuse to eat whipped cream!

You can make the whipped cream a few hours in advance and cover it with plastic wrap in the fridge; if it has begun to separate, put it in a bowl and mix it back together with a wire whisk.

Frost the cupcakes right before serving. Use a piping bag for the effect shown in the photo, or a spatula for a simpler effect.

SURPRISE VARIATION

Before frosting, we used a melon baller to scoop a well in the top of the plain baked cupcakes and inserted a “surprise” whole strawberry. You can also use lemon curd or other fruit curd, but you’ll have a lemon curd cupcake instead of a strawberry shortcake cupcake.

Or, split the batch and make both!

Enjoy this last breath of summer.

Find more of our favorite cake and cupcake recipes.

WHIPPED CREAM TIPS