Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)
Bright lemon cupcakes with strawberry frosting—perfect for summer celebrations and easy to make at home.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
11 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Frosting
12 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
14 - ¼ cup (60 g) strawberry purée (blended fresh strawberries)
15 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish
17 - Fresh strawberries, halved
18 - Lemon zest
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide the batter evenly 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. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar on low speed. Mix in the strawberry purée, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase the mixer speed and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
09 - Pipe or spread the strawberry frosting generously onto the fully cooled cupcakes. Garnish with halved fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The strawberry frosting uses real fruit puree instead of artificial flavoring, and the color turns a soft, blushing pink that no food coloring can replicate.
- These come together in under 45 minutes, which means you can decide to make them at 2pm and be eating one by 3pm without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- Frosting warm cupcakes will melt the butter and leave you with a thin, runny glaze instead of a pillowy swirl, so patience here actually matters.
- If your strawberry puree is very juicy, strain out some of the liquid first or the frosting may never firm up enough to hold its shape.
03 -
- Always zest your lemon before juicing it, because a hollowed-out lemon is nearly impossible to zest properly and you will end up frustrated.
- Sift the powdered sugar for the frosting no matter how much of a hurry you are in, because a single lump ruins the silky texture you worked so hard to achieve.