Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
My strawberry lemonade cupcakes are made easy using a box of cake mix. They have a soft and fluffy lemonade base and a sweet strawberry buttercream frosting on top!
These strawberry lemonade cupcakes are summer in cupcake form. They start with a box of lemon cake mix that I doctor up a bit. Then I top them with the best homemade strawberry frosting and garnish with a cute straw and a lemon wedge.
They take around an hour to make (maybe a little more depending on your speed in the kitchen). You’ll get about 20 soft, flavorful cupcakes that are perfect for sharing!
Kim’s Cupcake Making Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing whips in extra air and overdevelops gluten, causing the cupcakes to get tough, sink in the center, or dome.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. If you frost warm cupcakes, that buttercream is going to melt and slide right off.
- About the strawberry purée. Some people report using too much puréemakes the buttercream runny. I’ve never had that issue personally. My recommendation is to start with less and add only enough to get the frosting to the desired consistency.
- Ingredients on the box: Use the ingredients listed on your box of cake. Then add these extra ingredients: vanilla pudding, sour cream, lemonade mix (like Country Time), and vanilla extract. The ingredients listed on the box are usually eggs, water, and oil but the amounts vary by brand.
Ingredients
Lemonade Cupcakes
- 15.25 ounces lemon cake mix, 1 box
- 1 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding, or lemon instant pudding
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ounce lemonade mix, similar to Country Time
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 2 cupcake pans with liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cake mix, water, eggs, pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, lemonade mix, and vanilla. Mix for about 2 minutes, according to the box directions.15.25 ounces lemon cake mix1 cup water3 large eggs3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding¾ cup sour cream½ cup vegetable oil1 ounce lemonade mix2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fill each cupcake liner ⅓ to ½ of the way full.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Place the strawberries into a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Pour through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds, then set aside.1 cup fresh strawberries
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the powdered sugar and butter. Slowly begin to add the strawberry purée until the desired consistency is reached.4 cups powdered sugar1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a tip, and frost the cooled cupcakes.
- For an extra touch, add a fun straw, a lemon slice, or a piece of strawberry to the cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes Step-by-Step
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Then set aside.
Using an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, water, eggs, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, lemonade mix, and vanilla extract. Mix according to the box directions and make sure not to overmix.
Portion the batter into the liners between ⅓ and ½ of the way full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
While the cupcakes cool, make the strawberry buttercream. Place the fresh strawberries into a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds, then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the powdered sugar and butter. Slowly begin to add the strawberry purée until the desired consistency is reached.
Add the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a tip, and frost the cooled cupcakes. For a cute touch, add a fun straw, a lemon slice, or a piece of strawberry as a garnish.
These look so delicious. I will try them out at my kiddos birthday party! I never thought to mix cupcakes with lemonade but love the concept!