Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)
Sweet tangy lemon cupcakes with fresh strawberry frosting, perfect for warm weather entertaining.
# What You Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ 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 - ½ cup whole milk
11 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Frosting
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - ¼ cup strawberry puree (blended fresh strawberries)
15 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish
17 - Fresh strawberries, halved
18 - Lemon zest
# Steps:
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. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let 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 puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Increase the speed and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
09 - Frost the completely cooled cupcakes with the strawberry frosting. Garnish with halved fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The lemon cake is incredibly tender without being delicate, so it holds up beautifully to a generous swirl of frosting.
- Real strawberry puree in the buttercream gives you that authentic berry sweetness without any artificial flavor.
02 -
- Do not frost warm cupcakes under any circumstances, as the frosting will melt into a sad pink puddle and slide right off.
- If your strawberry puree is very juicy, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or the frosting will be too soft to hold its shape.
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, because zesting a squeezed lemon half is a frustrating and humbling experience.
- Beat the frosting a full three to four minutes at high speed at the end to whip in air and make it impossibly light and spreadable.