Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)
Moist cupcakes brightened with fresh strawberries and lemon, topped with a tangy strawberry-lemonade buttercream.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup milk
10 - 1/4 cup sour cream
11 - 2/3 cup fresh strawberries, diced
→ Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tablespoons strawberry puree (about 3-4 strawberries)
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
16 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
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, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure full incorporation before adding the next.
05 - Mix in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice until evenly combined throughout the batter.
06 - In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sour cream until smooth.
07 - Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
08 - Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
09 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each liner about two-thirds full.
10 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
11 - Beat the unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until fully incorporated and fluffy. Add the strawberry puree, fresh lemon juice, and salt, then beat until the frosting is light and creamy.
12 - Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the fully cooled cupcakes. Garnish with additional fresh strawberries or lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The batter comes together in one bowl with zero fuss, making this feel almost too easy for something that looks so impressive.
- That buttercream tastes like a glass of strawberry lemonade in frosting form, and people genuinely gasp when they take a bite.
02 -
- Fold the strawberries in as gently as possible because overmixing at this stage turns the batter pink and makes the cupcakes dense instead of fluffy.
- Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting, because even slightly warm cakes will melt the buttercream into a sad puddle.
03 -
- Toss the diced strawberries in a pinch of flour before folding them in, because the flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly so every cupcake bakes at the same rate and you get perfectly uniform results.