Easy Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Strawberry lemonade, without a doubt, is a flavor combination meant to channel the freshness and lightness of spring. And, as good as the drink itself might be, is there anything better than taking a great combination and turning it into a cupcake? Obviously not.
To make this fabulous dessert, we start with moist lemon cupcakes. You could definitely leave it at that, or, if you want to take things to the next level, it’s a pretty simple matter to fill each cupcake with a spoonful of smooth, creamy, bright lemon curd.

Store-bought lemon curd would certainly work, but you can also make your own at home, a lot more quickly and easily than you probably think, and the flavor and texture absolutely can’t be beat. I mean, just look!

This is the same lemon cupcake and lemon curd recipe that is used in these filled lemon cupcakes with cream cheese poppy seed frosting, which have always been one of the most popular recipes on the site!

So, when I was brainstorming recipes to celebrate the lovely Katherine, it was only a matter of minutes until my mind turned here.

Easy Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
These cupcakes are too beautiful to eat

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

•     1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•     1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
•     3/4 teaspoon baking soda
•     1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•     3/4 cups granulated sugar
•     2 large eggs
•     1/4 cup milk I used whole
•     1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
•     1/2 cup vegetable oil
•     Zest of 2 lemons

Strawberry and Lemonade Cream Cheese Frostings

•     8 oz cream cheese softened
•     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•     4 cups powdered sugar sifted
•     4 oz unsalted butter softened
•     1 oz freeze dried strawberries
•     Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Lemon Cupcakes

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs until slightly pale, about 1 minute.
4. Add sugar, whisk for another minute.
5. Add vanilla and oil. Whisk until combined.
6. Add half of the flour mixture. Stir with a spatula.
7. Proceed to add milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until combined.
8. Add the remaining flour.
9. Pour batter into cupcake pan, either greased with butter and then floured, or lined with cupcake papers.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway.

Strawberry and Lemonade Cream cheese frostings

1. Pulse freeze dried strawberries in processor until they are a fine powder. Put through a sifter to filter out large particles. Set aside.
2. Cream cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add sifted powdered sugar, mix on low until mixed in. Turn speed to medium and beat for a couple minutes. Add vanilla.
4. Split frosting in half into two bowls.
5. Add zest of lemon to one and add the freeze dried strawberries to the other.
6. Cream both separately until well combined.
7. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Spread the lemon cream cheese frosting. Right next to it, spread the strawberry frosting.
8. Roll the plastic wrap over itself and insert it into a piping bag fitted with the tip you will be using to pipe on the cupcakes.
9. Pipe away! Top with a strawberry and serve!

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