The Story:
I did a promo photo shoot a few weeks ago and I needed some pink cupcakes. So I whipped these cuties up for props. But when I posted a sneak peek photo on my facebook page, people wanted the recipe. So here it is. It’s pretty simple and the raspberry on top really makes it something special. It’s PERFECT for summer and the buttercream packs a punch of berry flavor!

Double Berry Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 4 egg whites
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Double Berry Buttercream
- 2 tablespoons freeze dried strawberries pulverized in the food processor
- 2 tablespoons freeze dried raspberries pulverized in the food processor
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- milk if needed
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
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2. In a large bowl, sift cake mix to remove lumps.
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3. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to combine egg whites, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise and vanilla extract.
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4. Add cake mix and stir well.
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5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
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6. Buttercream: When working with freeze dried things, you need to remember to work fast. They start to absorb the moisture in the air as soon as the package it opened. Pulverize your berries in the food processor and then use a sifter to remove the raspberry seeds. The strawberry seeds are pretty fine to use because they aren't as tough.
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7. Beat butter for 2 minutes, then add your freeze dried berry "powders." Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk and continue to beat.
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8. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with a fresh raspberry.
You are the best!….I made your coconut cupcakes today, and I have rocked today with everyone…Thanks for sharing your talent with us…You are such an inspiration to me….
Mary
PS, where did you get your milk glass with your name on it…I would love to make some with mine on it….will you share that information?
The milk jug is one of those starbucks frapaccino thibgs you buy from the grocery store, just peel off the label. And then I have stickers that I order with my name on it, you can order stickers online through lots of sites. I hope that helps!
Love! Especially the presentation, very beautiful. I want one of these right now so bad, lol!
The straw is very pretty. Where did you get that?
I got the straws online, they are paper straws and so fun to work with!
Hey Lizzy! LOVE these cupcakes, super cute! Where do you order your cupcake liners from or do you buy them from a certain store? Thanks!
I get my liners from a variety of places. These I got from Fred Meyers, a local grocery store. But they are Wilton liners, so you should be able to find them other places. Good luck!
Wow Lizzy, your blog just gets better and better!!
I was looking for a few of the older recipes and had to cut
and paste before printing, but now you have it set up so slick
and print-ready. Thank you!!
My big wedding is this Friday when I will be making 4 of your
recipes for a poolside reception. The bride has picked 3 of the 4
to be fun and summery and fruity. Stawberry Lime, Raspberry Chocolate
and White Chocolate Orange.
I am excited to see it all come together. I will send pics (if I remember to take them, lol!)
What size box of cake mix? They have been shrinking.
18.25 ounces
Hi, I just found your blog through pinterest! Let me start off by saying I LOVE IT!! I had a question about your recipes made with box mixes. What box mix do you prefer and do you have to modify your recipes at all due to the new size of the cake mix boxes? They used to be 18.25oz, but now they are 15-16 oz and before I tried one of your recipes I wanted to know what you suggest?
Thank you so much for your recipes. They all look delicious! Have a wonderful day.
Prefer Pillsbury mixes with my recipes and the change is not all the significant with the size, so everything can be kept the same. The only thing you may want to change is add a little less liquid to your mix
Thanks for your reply 🙂 I look forward to trying your recipes out 🙂
I adore strawberry cupcakes! These look so delicious! I will showcase them on my blog! Regards
I am delighted to have found your website. You have some lovely recipes…so hard to choose which one to make first. I do have a question though…Having never used mayonaise in a sweet recipe, I am curious what type you have used? Cheers
Yes, mayo makes a cake lighter and fluffier. I don’t like to use it with cake mixes thought because cake mixes already are pretty light.
What can I use instead of he freeze dried Fruits that will give me the same flavoring?
Nothing will give you quite the same flavor because freeze dried fruits pack a lot of flavor. But you can use fresh berries, puree them in a blender, sift them to remove the seeds, and then slowly add to your Buttercream. You want to do it slowly so you don’t add too much.
I just made these for the first time. I thought that I had freeze dried fruit but it turned out all wrong. I guess it was just dried fruit and it turned into a large ball of paste, not powder. Where do i find freeze dried fruit so that I can get thhis recipe right???
I got mine from Trader Joes!
So I’ve made atleast 6 of your recipes…people love it. However last week I was told by my
samplers (my co workers & my husbands coworkers) that the Almond Joy cup was by far the BEST cupcake. I used my own cake recipe, but used you frosting recipe….thank you!! I now have my 1st cupake jobs…baking 6 dz. Vanilla cupcakes for 2 different weddings. Also one of the Dentist at my husbands office has hired me to bake cupcakes for her meetings!
I just found your website and I’m in love. I’ve tried so many from scratch recipes but they never turn out quite right. 🙁 So I’m stoked to try out your recipes!!! I’m making a stacked vanilla cake this week and was wondering which recipe you would recommend for a cake between this one (Double Berry Vanilla) or the Classic CHocolate Vanilla recipe? Any input would be great! Thank you!!!
I prefer the classic recipe, it will stand up well for your cake!
Lizzy, I was wondering what tip you used for piping the frosting? I’ve tried to achieve this look, but haven’t stumbled on the right tip yet…
I was wondering what size tip you use for the icing in this picture.
I made these this morning and they are awesome! I couldn’t find freeze-dried berries anywhere, so I thawed some of my frozen ones, put them in the food processor and strained the seeds out of them. The frosting still didn’t have the berry flavor I was looking for, so I added about a tbsp. of raspberry jello and that did the trick! My boyfriend says the cupcake flavor reminds him of the sour cream cookies that his grandma used to make… nobody has been able to get the flavor right since she passed away. These were a win all around! My family is coming over for dinner tonight, I can’t wait to hear the reviews!
I cant seem to get the basics of piping right, Please help
Lizzy,
Can I mix all wet ingredients , then add the cake mix, whisk the egg white separate until it is stiff then just fold it in with the cake batter after? what change would this make to the cake? Thanks.
Maila
Yes, that would be perfect! It would make for a lighter cake 🙂
Do you measure your freezed ried berries before or after you pulverize them?
after, but really, just add as much or as little as you want. Taste as you go!
Hi,
It would be so nice if you could share the tip size you use for frosting the cupcakes. They’re just
beautiful!
I usually use a Wilton 2D tip!
Hi Lizzy! Quick question, I usually use the vanilla cake that is used for the Strawberry White Chocolate. It has less buttermilk, more sour cream and no mayo. Which do you prefer? This one has mayo so I was just curious what difference you had experienced between the two?
Ok I bought the freezer dried stuff and opened them and THEN read your post about working with them fast! I’m making my frosting tomorrow/ the next day! Will I be ok?!?!?
Never mind…I think they stay dried in the bag even if the bag has been opened. I don’t know why I didn’t understand before. It’s when u take them out that it matters.
Nօt so poor. Interesting ƿoints right here
Tɦisѕ site was… how do I say it? Relevant!!
Finallү I’ve found ѕometһіng which helped me.
Thanks a lot!
Can you use whole eggs?