Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable View)

Bright lemony cupcakes with creamy strawberry frosting—a sweet, tangy dessert perfect for warm weather celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Frosting

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup strawberry puree (blended fresh strawberries)
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

17 - Fresh strawberries, halved
18 - Lemon zest

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the whole milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Evenly distribute the batter among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat the softened butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar on low speed, then mix in the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Increase the mixer speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
09 - Spread or pipe the strawberry frosting generously onto the fully cooled cupcakes. Garnish each with a halved fresh strawberry and a sprinkle of lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tangy lemon cake paired with sweet strawberry frosting tastes like summer in one bite, and people always assume you bought them from a bakery.
  • They come together in under 45 minutes with zero fancy techniques, making them a guaranteed win for potlucks, birthdays, or a random Tuesday when you need a pick me up.
02 -
  • If you frost even one slightly warm cupcake, the butter in your frosting will melt into a sad puddle, so wait until they are completely cool to the touch.
  • Chilling the strawberry puree for ten minutes before adding it to the frosting prevents it from becoming too soft to pipe.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion batter into the liners for perfectly even cupcakes every single time.
  • The secret to that vibrant pink frosting color is using the ripest, deepest red strawberries you can find, because pale berries make pale frosting.

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