Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable)

Sweet, fluffy cupcakes with fresh strawberry and tangy lemon flavors, topped with luscious buttercream frosting.

# What goes in:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp baking soda
04 - ¼ tsp salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
10 - ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
11 - ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries

→ Lemon-Strawberry Buttercream

12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tbsp fresh strawberry puree
15 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
17 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon juice and zest.
05 - Mix in half the dry ingredients, add buttermilk, then finish with remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Gently fold chopped strawberries into the batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
08 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
10 - Mix in strawberry puree, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
11 - Once cupcakes are fully cooled, pipe or spread buttercream onto each one. Garnish with extra strawberries or lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of fresh strawberries and bright lemon creates that perfect summer dessert that feels lighter than typical cupcakes
  • These cupcakes stay incredibly moist for days thanks to the buttermilk and fresh fruit folded into the batter
  • The buttercream strikes that rare balance between not too sweet and letting the natural fruit flavors come through beautifully
02 -
  • Fold strawberries gently with just a few strokes to prevent the batter from turning an unappealing pinkish gray
  • The cupcakes must be completely cooled before frosting or the buttercream will melt right off
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the batter from curdling and ensure even baking
03 -
  • Strain your strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds that might make the buttercream gritty
  • Use fresh strawberries at their peak ripeness for the best flavor since they are the star of this recipe

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