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Delicious strawberry cheesecake red velvet cupcakes topped with berries.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Red Velvet Cupcakes

Creamy, tangy cheesecake tucked into moist red velvet cupcakes with juicy strawberry notes — what’s not to love?
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • Muffin Tin
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Electric Mixer

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 0.75 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened for filling
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar for filling
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for filling
  • 1 large egg for filling
  • 0.5 cup diced fresh strawberries for filling

Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened for frosting
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar for frosting
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting

Garnish

  • fresh strawberry slices for garnish
  • red velvet cake crumbs optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  • In another bowl, mix together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red food coloring until smooth and uniform.
  • Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain.
  • In a separate bowl, beat together 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 large egg until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the 1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries.
  • Fill each cupcake liner halfway with the red velvet batter. Add a spoonful (about 1 tablespoon) of the cheesecake-strawberry filling in the center of each, then top with more red velvet batter to cover the cheesecake layer and fill about three-quarters full.
  • Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. The cheesecake center may leave a small moist spot — that’s okay.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool fully before frosting.
  • For the frosting, beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until well combined and spreadable.
  • Pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and a sprinkle of red velvet cake crumbs if desired.

Notes

Use room-temperature ingredients for smoother batter and frosting. Chill the cheesecake filling briefly if it seems too soft.