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refined sugar free strawberry shortcake cupcake topped with cashew frosting and blueberries and strawberries on 3 white plates with gold edge with white wrapper unwrapped exposing the cupcake.

Refined Sugar-Free Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Date Paste & Vegan Cashew Frosting

These strawberry shortcake cupcakes are naturally sweetened with date paste, filled with fresh strawberries & blueberries, and topped with a silky vegan cashew-coconut frosting. A lighter, refined sugar-free twist on a classic!
Prep Time 1 day 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 15 minutes
Serving Size 24 Cupcakes

Equipment

  • Stand or Hand Mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring Cups & Spoons
  • Cookie-ice cream scoop optional
  • Muffin Tin
  • Piping Bag and large round tip ( I used Wilton 1A) optional
  • 1 cupcake corer or small sharp knife

Ingredients

Date Paste

  • 1.5 cups pitted Medjool dates
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp water

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup organic high oleic sunflower oil or oil of choice
  • 1 ¼ cups date paste see recipe above
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 egg whites room temperature
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup whole milk room temperature
  • ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries for filling
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh blueberries for filling
  • Extra strawberries & blueberries for topping

Whipped Vegan Cashew-Coconut Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups raw cashews soaked 4–6 hrs, drained
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut cream chilled
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup or date paste
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Optional: 2 tsp arrowroot starch for stability
  • 40 g freeze-dried strawberries for color & flavor

Instructions

Make the Date Paste

  • Combine dates and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 7–10 minutes until soft.
    1.5 cups pitted Medjool dates, ½ cup + 2 tbsp water
    Pitted Medjool dates in a large ceramic cast iron saucepan with water on a stovetop
  • Blend using an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth. Add more water 1–2 tbsp at a time if needed to reach a creamy paste.
    date paste blended
    • Use ⅔ cup date paste for every 1 cup sugar in recipes. Reduce other liquids by 2–4 tbsp per cup of paste used. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks or freeze 3 months.

Prepare the Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 6-inch cake pans (or 24 cupcake liners).
    Hand placing brown cupcake liner in muffin baking tray, ready for baking.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
    flour, baking powder and salt mixed together in a glass bowl with metal whisk
  • In a large bowl, mix the sunflower oil, date paste, maple syrup, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla extract until smooth. Once mixed, add the sour cream.
    ½ cup organic high oleic sunflower oil, 1 ¼ cups date paste, 2 large eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 tbsp vanilla extract, ¾ cup sour cream, 3 tbsp maple syrup
    sunflower oil, date paste, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla extract mixed until smooth in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
  • Alternately add the dry ingredients with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. The batter should be thick but scoopable.
    ¾ cup whole milk
    Final refined sugar free strawberry shortcake batter in stainless steel mixing bowl
  • Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 of the way full. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
    Refined Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes batter in muffin tin

Make the Cashew-Coconut Frosting

  • Drain soaked cashews and rinse well.
    Raw cashews soaking in a white bowl of water
  • Blend cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, arrowroot (if using), and freeze-dried strawberries until smooth (2–3 minutes in a high-speed blender).
    2 cups raw cashews, 1 cup full-fat coconut cream, 3 tbsp maple syrup or date paste, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbsp lemon juice, Optional: 2 tsp arrowroot starch, 40 g freeze-dried strawberries, ¼ tsp salt
    drained raw cashews in ninja blender
  • Chill 1–2 hours. Once chilled, whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes until light and airy.
    Vegan Strawberry Cashew Frosting in clear bowl with strawberries around on white surface

Fill the Cupcakes

  • Core cupcakes slightly in the center and fill with a spoonful of chopped strawberry-blueberry mixture. Pipe some vegan cashew frosting on top of the fruit and place the piece that came out when you cored it on top of the filling. You can use a small knife to create the core or a cupcake corer tool. I love this one.
    ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries, ¼ cup chopped fresh blueberries
    Refined sugar free strawberry shortcake cupcakes with centres cored and removed to add filling

Decorate the Cupcakes

  • Using a round tip, pipe a generous mound of whipped cashew frosting on top of the cupcake or use a spatula to spread some on top. Using the back of a spoon or the tip of your spatula, press into the center of the cupcake, creating a small hole or well without going all the way to the bottom. Scoop some more strawberries and blueberries into the mound.
    Extra strawberries & blueberries for topping
    Small hole or well in the vegan cashew buttercream frosting to place strawberries and blueberries into the mound.

Video

Notes

Macros (per cupcake, 24 total)

  • Calories: 195
  • Fat: 10g
  • Carbs: 22g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Sugar: 11g (natural sugars from dates & fruit)

Recipe Tips for Success

  • Make sure cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting.
  • For a lighter frosting, fold in extra whipped coconut cream before piping.
  • If frosting is too soft, chill 20–30 minutes and whip again.
  • Adjust milk in batter if too thick from date paste.