Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)

Light, fluffy cupcakes with real strawberry and zesty lemon flavors, topped with creamy strawberry-lemon buttercream frosting.

# What You Need:

→ Cupcake Batter

01 - 1 ⅓ 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, room temperature
08 - ⅓ cup whole milk
09 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
11 - ½ cup fresh strawberries, diced

→ Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream

12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - ¼ cup strawberries, pureed
16 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

# Steps:

01 - Preheat 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 together until pale, light, and fluffy.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
05 - Mix in the fresh lemon juice and grated lemon zest until combined.
06 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in alternating batches with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold the diced strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
08 - Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
09 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
10 - Remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Mix in the lemon juice, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
12 - Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously with the strawberry lemonade buttercream. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices or additional lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The strawberry flavor comes from real fruit, not artificial extracts, and you can taste the difference immediately.
  • That lemon zest sneaks up on you in the best way, making each bite bright and impossible to put down.
  • The buttercream is shockingly easy and pipes like a dream, even if you are a beginner.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the fastest way to turn tender cupcakes into little rubbery hockey pucks.
  • Fresh strawberries release water during baking, so dice them small and fold gently to avoid soggy pockets in the center.
  • The buttercream needs the strawberries pureed smooth, because chunks will clog your piping tip at the worst possible moment.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners for perfectly even portions every single time.
  • Chill the frosted cupcakes for ten minutes before serving to set the buttercream so they hold their shape beautifully.

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