Berries and Cream Cupcakes – Light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with homemade mixed berry sauce and topped with vanilla mascarpone frosting. A wonderful dessert perfect for summer!

Berries and Cream Cupcakes
These cupcakes are elegant, gorgeous, and oh so delicious! I love incorporating mascarpone into recipes so after perfecting my mascarpone frosting with my tiramisu cupcake recipe, I started looking for other desserts that frosting would work with and decided that berries would pair perfectly! The results were amazing, the tangy and creaminess from the mascarpone frosting balanced the sweetness of the berries. I made these cupcakes for a baby shower and they disappeared so quickly!

Common Questions About Making Berries and Cream Cupcakes
What are berries and cream cupcakes?
Berries and cream cupcakes are simple vanilla cupcakes that are baked and then filled with a homemade berry sauce. They are then topped with a vanilla mascarpone frosting and additional fresh berries for garnish.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.
How long do these cupcakes last?
Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

What can I garnish these cupcakes with?
I like to garnish these cupcakes with a mix of fresh berries and little sprigs of mint but you could use fun sprinkles instead.
Can I use pre-made mixed berry jam?
Yes, you definitely can use a pre-made mixed berry jam instead of making it yourself.

How can I make the perfect cupcakes?
- Follow the recipe – While I totally understand dietary restrictions, if you plan on making changes to the ingredients, I cannot guarantee the recipe will work. If you are facing this problem, I will gently suggest that you may want to consider finding a cupcake recipe on a site that specifically develops for the diet you are on such as a keto baking website or vegan baking website. Too many times have I seen recipes for wrong for people because they started to adjust the recipe too much.
- Don’t over-mix the cupcakes – If you want to keep cupcakes light and airy, avoiding over-mixing is key. Mix until just barely combined.
- Let the cupcakes completely cool before frosting – This is a classic mistake that people constantly make (including me). Your cupcakes are done baking, you are ready to sit down and eat one so you touch the cupcake and say “this is most definitely cool” even though it’s only been out of the oven for like, 5 minutes. Wrong. Your frosting will just slide off the cupcake and it’ll be really sad. To be safe, I’d say give them 1-2 hours before frosting.
- Don’t over fill the cupcake liners – If you overfill the cupcake liners, you will definitely have some overflow which isn’t pretty and elegant. Stick to filling each liner about 3/4 full.
- Spin the cupcake tin halfway through cooking – An oven’s heat is generally not terribly even so a simple way to make sure all of the cupcakes cook all the way through is to spin the pan about 1/2 way through baking 180 degrees.

Ingredient Notes –
- Milk adds moisture to the cupcakes so they aren’t too dry.
- Vegetable oil adds richness and moisture to the cupcakes.
- Eggs bind the cupcake batter together.
- Vanilla enhances the sweetness in the cupcakes and pairs deliciously with the berry sauce.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cupcakes.
- Flour gives the cupcakes structure. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method.
- Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise so they become light and fluffy.
- I’m using fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries) for the berry sauce but frozen would work too. If using frozen berries, they may take a few extra minutes to break down into a sauce.
- Lemon juice adds freshness and acidity to the berry sauce.
- Cornstarch helps thicken the berry sauce.
- Butter is the base of our frosting. It gives delicious flavor but also helps create a rich, pipable frosting.
- Mascarpone adds a subtle tangy flavor to the frosting that pairs perfectly with fresh berries. If you don’t have mascarpone, cream cheese will work too!
- Powdered sugar gives the frosting structure. If your powdered sugar has large lumps, make sure to sift it before adding it to the butter.

Looking for more cupcake recipes? Check these out!

Berries and Cream Cupcakes

Berries and Cream Cupcakes – Light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with homemade mixed berry sauce and topped with vanilla mascarpone frosting. A wonderful dessert perfect for summer!
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Berry Sauce
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese (softened)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Next, add the sugar and whisk to combine.
- Finally, add the flour and baking powder. Whisk just until combined - you don't want to overmix.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins, filling each one with 1/4 cup of batter.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
For the Berry Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, lemon juice, and cornstarch) to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until berries have broken down and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely before filling the cupcakes.
For the Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting
- Add the softened butter and mascarpone to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined - about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar. When all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy - about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. I am using a Wilton 2D.
Assembly
- To assemble the cupcakes, cut a small hole from the center of each cupcake (about the size of a quarter and 1/4" deep).
- Fill the hole with 1-2 teaspoons of berry filling and then place the cut out piece of cake back on top.
- Pipe the vanilla mascarpone frosting on top of each cupcake and garnish with a fresh berry and/or sprinkles, if desired.
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
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