Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are summer in dessert form. By using real lemon juice and zest in the cake, and concentrated freeze-dried strawberry powder in the frosting, you get a bright, authentic fruit flavor that extracts never quite capture. The highlight is the two-tone swirl, created by wrapping separate lemon and strawberry cream cheese frostings together, giving you a beautiful “lemonade” effect in every bite.
Prep Time: 40 min | Bake Time: 15 min | Yield: 14 Cupcakes
Key Ingredients
The Lemon Cupcakes
- Dry: 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ tsp baking powder, ¾ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp sea salt.
- Wet: 2 large eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 2 tsp vanilla extract.
- The “Lemonade”: ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup whole milk, and the zest of 2 lemons.
The Swirled Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Base: 8 oz cream cheese (softened) and 4 oz unsalted butter (softened).
- The Body: 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted) and 2 tsp vanilla extract.
- The Flavors: Zest of 1 lemon (for the yellow half) and 1 oz freeze-dried strawberries (for the pink half).
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The Lemon Cake
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup tray (plus 2 extra liners).
- Whisk: Whisk eggs for 1 minute until pale, then add sugar and whisk for another minute. Add vanilla and oil, whisking until smooth.
- Combine: Stir in half the flour mixture. Add the milk, lemon juice, and zest. Fold in the remaining flour until just combined.
- Bake: Fill liners ¾ full. Bake for 12–15 minutes, rotating halfway. Cool completely.
2. The Two-Tone Frosting
- Powder the Berries: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Sift to remove any stubborn seeds or chunks.
- Cream: Beat cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes until very fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until silky.
- Divide & Conquer: Split the frosting into two bowls. Add lemon zest to one and strawberry powder to the other. Beat both until the colors are vibrant and even.
- The Swirl Hack: Lay a piece of plastic wrap flat. Spread the lemon frosting in a vertical strip and the strawberry frosting in a strip right next to it. Roll the plastic wrap into a log and snip one end.
- Pipe: Place the log into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe onto cupcakes for a perfect dual-color swirl!
Tips & Tricks for Success
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the lemon juice to the batter, work quickly and gently. The acidity reacts with the baking soda to create fluffiness; overmixing will deflate those bubbles.
- Sift Your Berries: Freeze-dried strawberries often have tiny seeds. Sifting the powder ensures your frosting won’t clog your piping tip.
- Cooling is Crucial: Cream cheese frosting is softer than buttercream. If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, your beautiful swirl will melt into a puddle.
Storage & Serving
- Fridge: Because of the cream cheese, these must be stored in the refrigerator. They stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- Serving: For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving so the frosting and cake can soften.
Nutrition Information (Per Cupcake)
| Calories | Carbohydrates | Protein | Fat | Sodium |
| 320 | 42g | 3g | 16g | 210mg |
