Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)
Moist cupcakes infused with fresh strawberry and lemon, finished with zesty strawberry-lemonade buttercream.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ 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 - ¼ cup milk
10 - ¼ cup sour cream
11 - ⅔ cup fresh strawberries, diced
→ Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream
12 - ½ 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
# 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, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
04 - Mix in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice until evenly blended throughout the batter.
05 - Combine the milk and sour cream in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
06 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined—do not overmix.
07 - Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to crush the pieces.
08 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each liner about two-thirds full.
09 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
10 - Beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until fully incorporated and fluffy. Blend in the strawberry puree, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is light, creamy, and spreadable.
11 - Pipe or spread the strawberry lemonade buttercream generously onto each cooled cupcake. Garnish with fresh strawberry halves or additional lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The strawberry lemonade buttercream alone is worth making these, and people will genuinely ask what bakery you went to.
- They come together with basic pantry ingredients and zero fancy equipment, which means you can whip them up on a weeknight without stress.
02 -
- If your cupcakes dome or crack, your oven may be running hot, so grab an oven thermometer and check.
- Tossing the diced strawberries in a half teaspoon of flour before folding them in keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
03 -
- Cold cupcakes will tear apart when you try to frost them, so be absolutely sure they are cooled through to the center.
- A squeeze of extra lemon juice in the buttercream at the very end brightens everything and makes the strawberry flavor pop.