Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)
Fluffy cupcakes with fresh strawberries and lemon, topped with creamy fruit buttercream frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cupcake Batter
01 - 1⅓ cups (170 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, room temperature
08 - ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk
09 - ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
11 - ½ cup (80 g) fresh strawberries, diced
→ Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream
12 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - ¼ cup (40 g) strawberries, pureed
16 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). 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 using an electric mixer until 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 fresh lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest until evenly combined.
06 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined — do not overmix.
07 - Gently fold the diced strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to overmix and break up the fruit.
08 - Divide the batter evenly among the 12 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. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even results.
10 - Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
11 - Beat the softened butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed and beat until fluffy. Add the lemon juice, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well combined.
12 - Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously with the strawberry lemonade buttercream using a piping bag or spatula. Optionally garnish with fresh strawberry slices or a sprinkle of lemon zest.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Real fruit flavor that tastes like summer in cake form, not artificial strawberry candy.
- The buttercream alone is worth making, tangy and sweet with a blush pink color that needs no food coloring.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour will toughen the crumb, so stop the moment everything looks just combined.
- If your strawberry puree is very watery, press it through a fine mesh sieve before adding to the buttercream or the frosting will slide right off.
03 -
- Dice the strawberries small enough that every bite gets fruit but large enough that you can still see and taste distinct pieces.
- Let the buttercream rest for five minutes after mixing before frosting, it firms up slightly and pipes much more cleanly.