Description
These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes combine the bright zest of lemons with sweet strawberry jam and buttercream frosting to create a moist, fluffy, and refreshing dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- Zest of 1 large lemon (1 Tbsp / 5g)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend (150g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (125g)
- 1/2 cup water (120g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (56g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
- Yellow gel food coloring – optional
- 3/4 cup strawberry jam (240g) – optional filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- Zest of 1 large lemon (1 Tbsp / 5g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
- 1 tsp lemon extract (4g)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
- 3 Tbsp seedless strawberry jam or jelly (60g)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g)
- 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature (15g)
- Red gel food coloring – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- Mix sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl until aromatic and slightly yellow.
- Whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, water, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Add yellow food coloring if desired.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently until just mixed.
- Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 19–21 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack.
- To make buttercream, beat butter until smooth. Add lemon zest, vanilla, lemon extract, and salt; mix on low speed.
- Add strawberry jam and mix thoroughly. Gradually blend in powdered sugar and cream until smooth. Adjust consistency with extra cream or powdered sugar as needed.
- Optionally, line the piping bag with strawberry jam before filling with buttercream. Pipe swirls on cooled cupcakes.
- Remove cupcake centers and fill with strawberry jam, then frost and garnish with lemon slices and strawberries.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best results.
- Do not overmix the batter to maintain a light and fluffy texture.
- For a vegan version, use plant-based alternatives for butter, sour cream, and eggs.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 367 kcal
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake, lemon cupcakes, strawberry buttercream, summer dessert, fruity cupcakes