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+ servings
Protein vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting on a green background next to strawberries.

Fluffy Vanilla Protein Powder Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

Author: Mika Kinney
5 from 4 votes
With warm vanilla and simple ingredients, these vanilla protein cupcakes with strawberry frosting are the best cupcakes period (non-protein included)!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Protein: 10g
Serves: 12
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Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 2 medium bowls
  • 1 hand mixer or similar

Ingredients

Vanilla Protein Cupcakes

  • ¾ cup flour
  • ½ cup vanilla protein powder (plant-based works too)
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter (unsalted and softened, vegan works)
  • ¾ c sugar
  • 2 eggs (room tempurature)
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup kefir (or buttermilk, vegan or regular)
  • ½ cup strawberry jam

Protein Strawberry Frosting

  • ¼ c strawberry jam
  • ½ c butter (unsalted and softened, vegan works)
  • 2 c powdered sugar
  • ¼ c collagen peptides (unflavored)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon milk (any kind, protein milk preferred)

Before you start!

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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin papers. Place the butter and eggs on the counter to soften.
    To do this quickly, you can put the eggs in a bowl of warm water and microwave the butter sticks on a plate for 5 seconds, then flip and microwave another 5 seconds.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the ½ cup butter and ¾ c sugar until fluffy - about 2 minutes (it takes longer than you think!).
    Then add the 2 eggs and 2 teaspoon vanilla and mix until well combined.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the ¾ cup flour, ½ cup vanilla protein powder, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt until evenly distributed.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the ½ cup kefir to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed or by hand to avoid over mixing.
  • Portion out into the muffin cups, filling about ⅔rds of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It may take up to 30 minutes depending on your oven.
  • While the cupcakes bake, make the frosting by mixing together ½ c butter, ¼ c strawberry jam, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Then slowly add the 2 c powdered sugar and ¼ c collagen peptides. If the frosting is not smooth, add in 1 tablespoon milk or up to 2 tbsp's to create the fluffy buttercream texture.
    Store in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely, then remove the centers and fill with ½ cup strawberry jam, using about 1 tablespoon per cupcake. I like to use a pipping tip upside down to cut out the centers of the cupcakes but a spoon will also work.
    Top with strawberry frosting and enjoy! You might need to re-mix the frosting if it's hardened too much in the fridge. You can also set the bowl in a larger bowl of warm water to slightly soften the frosting.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips
  1. To quickly soften butter, pop the whole stick in the microwave (on a plate) for 5 seconds, then flip and do 5 more seconds.
  2. Don’t overmix the batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients together on low speed or by hand to avoid overmixing.
  3. Add the milk to the protein frosting last: Frosting is about ratios and powdered sugar is hard to measure, so I like to add the milk at the very end. I add it in small amounts to make sure I don’t over do it because too much liquid requires a lot of powdered sugar to correct the texture.
  4. Scooping out the center: Use a piping tip or spoon to scoop out the center of the cupcakes for filling with jam. You can save this cake for making cake pops or just snacking on.
My frosting seems runny.
If your frosting is runny, it's likely because of too much milk or the butter was melted instead of softened. If you think it’s a butter issue, pop the frosting in the fridge or freezer for a little bit to help the butter firm up, then try whipping it again. If you think it’s too much milk, add more powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency (which could be a lot).
Storage & make-ahead tips
Room Temperature
These cupcakes should be kept in the fridge because they are filled and have a buttercream frosting. They will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge but they will begin to dry out after 2 days. 
Tip: Storing cupcakes with the frosting on prevents them from drying out so fast.
Frozen
To freeze them, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a ziplock bag or freezer-safe airtight container. They will keep for 3 months frozen. 
Make Ahead
To make these in advance, make all the components up to 3 days in advance but don’t assemble until the day before. The day before assemble the cupcakes and then store them in the fridge. If you don’t fill them with jam, store them at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Reheating
These can be eaten straight from the fridge or freezer. But, I would recommend letting them come to room temperature on the counter before eating. This takes about 5 minutes from the fridge and 15 minutes from the freezer.

Looking for more information?

Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: collagen, high protein, protein powder

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg
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