Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable Version)
Fluffy vanilla cupcakes dotted with fresh strawberries, topped with tangy lemon-strawberry buttercream frosting for a perfect summer dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 (blended and strained)
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 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in lemon juice and zest.
05 - Mix in half the dry ingredients, then add the buttermilk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Gently fold in chopped strawberries.
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 - For the buttercream, 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 Hints:
01 -
- The combination of fresh strawberry and bright lemon somehow tastes like sunshine and nostalgia all at once
- They stay incredibly moist for days, which means youre actually allowed to have leftovers
02 -
- Do not skip sifting the powdered sugar, I learned this the hard way and spent twenty minutes trying to fish lumps out of my frosting
- Fold those strawberries in gently or you will end up with streaky, oddly colored batter that bakes up denser than you want
03 -
- Greek yogurt makes an excellent substitute for buttermilk if you do not have any on hand
- For a more intense lemon flavor, add an extra teaspoon of zest to the frosting, it will not throw off the consistency