Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Printable Version)

Sweet fluffy treats with fresh strawberries and tangy lemon frosting.

# 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

# Method:

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 - 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 - 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.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • The bright tang of lemon cuts through the sweet strawberries perfectly
  • These cupcakes disappear faster than any other dessert I've made
  • The buttercream is somehow both light and decadently rich
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are what make these cupcakes tender instead of tough
  • Let the buttercream sit for 10 minutes if it's too soft to pipe
03 -
  • Make strawberry puree ahead and freeze it in ice cube trays for future batches
  • Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting or the buttercream will melt right off

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