These strawberry lemonade cupcakes pair moist lemon cake with creamy, real-strawberry frosting. The recipe uses no artificial flavors and combines bright citrus with sweet berry for a delightful summer treat. 
A glass of strawberry lemonade evokes sunshine, and these cupcakes capture that same feeling in bakeable form. The lemon cupcakes are soft, moist and tender with just the right amount of citrus — noticeable but not overly tart. The strawberry buttercream is silky and made with real berries for fresh, natural flavor and a beautiful pink hue.
The contrast of bright lemon and sweet strawberry is both visually appealing and delicious.
The Perfect Lemon Cupcakes
This cake uses both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice so the lemon flavor is lively without being sour. Butter provides richness while milk and sour cream keep the crumb tender and moist.
Tips for successful lemon cupcakes:
- Bring butter, eggs, milk and sour cream to room temperature before you begin.
- Add the dry ingredients gradually, alternating with the wet ingredients, to create an even crumb.
- Mix only until combined — overmixing can make cupcakes tough.
- Fill liners about 2/3 to 3/4 full to avoid overflow.
For the Strawberry Frosting
This frosting is made from real strawberries (fresh or frozen). It requires a little extra effort, but the taste is far superior to artificial flavorings. Start by making a strawberry puree and gently boiling it down to remove excess liquid; this prevents a watery frosting. The process:
- Core the berries.
- Pulse in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Press the puree through a metal sieve with the back of a spoon or spatula to remove seeds.
- Simmer the puree over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, jam-like consistency and deepens in color (about 15 minutes).
- Cool the reduced puree completely before adding to butter and sugar — warm puree will cause the frosting to melt.
Once the puree is cooled, beat the butter and powdered sugar, then fold in the reduced strawberry puree. For a bakery-style finish, pipe the frosting with a 1M tip; a knife or spatula works fine too.
More Lemon & Strawberry Recipes
- Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
- Strawberry Layer Cake — a strawberry-flavored cake with strawberry frosting
- Strawberry Lemonade Cake — the layer cake version of this recipe
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (187.5 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (60 ml), freshly squeezed
Strawberry Frosting
- 8 ounces strawberries (226 g), fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 g), softened but still slightly firm
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 g)
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream (15 ml), if needed
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, 160°C fan). Line a muffin tin with liners; this yields 12–14 cupcakes.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Beat in the whisked eggs, then with the mixer on low add about one-third of the flour mixture. Mix in the sour cream.
- Scrape the bowl, add another third of the flour mixture, then add the milk and mix until combined.
- Scrape the bowl again and beat in the final third of the flour mixture. Gently stir in the lemon juice and whisk smooth if needed.
- Spoon batter into liners, filling each 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake one pan at a time in the middle of the oven for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Strawberry Frosting
- Core the strawberries and puree them in a blender or food processor.
- Pass the puree through a metal sieve, pressing with a spoon or spatula to remove seeds.
- Simmer the seedless puree in a saucepan over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, jam-like consistency and darkens in color (about 15 minutes). Cool completely; you should have about 1/4 cup.
- Beat the butter until fluffy. Add 2 cups powdered sugar on low speed and combine.
- Add 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled reduced strawberry puree and beat until incorporated.
- Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and additional puree 1–2 tablespoons as needed, until you reach the desired sweetness and texture. If the frosting thins or separates, stop adding puree. If the frosting is too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with a knife or pipe with a piping bag and tip (1M recommended) for a classic look.
Notes
- Lemons: You will need 2–3 lemons for the zest and juice. Zest before juicing.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Remove butter, eggs, milk and sour cream from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen berries work; if using frozen, avoid fruit packed in syrup and allow extra time to reduce the puree.
- Make Ahead: Cupcakes can be baked a day ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Reduce the strawberry puree a day ahead and refrigerate; finish the frosting the day you plan to serve.
- Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day or refrigerated up to 3 days. Frosting made with real berries is best kept cool.
- Nutrition: Nutrition details are estimates per cupcake, assuming 12 servings and full use of frosting.