Description
These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are sunshine in cupcake form! Moist strawberry cake filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with a swirled pink-and-yellow lemonade buttercream—they’re fruity, vibrant, and super fun to make. Perfect for summer gatherings, birthdays, or just a bright baking day at home.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Cupcakes:
1 box strawberry cake mix
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
For the Lemon Filling:
½ cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)
For the Lemonade Buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3½ to 4 cups powdered sugar
1–2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Pink and yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Make the Cupcake Batter: In a large bowl, combine strawberry cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
Bake: Fill cupcake liners about ¾ full and bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Fill with Lemon Curd: Once cooled, use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove a bit of the center. Fill each cupcake with 1–2 teaspoons of lemon curd. Replace the top if desired.
Make the Lemonade Buttercream: Beat butter until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, then lemon juice and zest. Mix until smooth.
Add Color: Divide frosting into two bowls. Tint one pink and the other yellow using gel food coloring.
Pipe the Swirl: Spoon both colored frostings side-by-side into a piping bag. Pipe tall swirls on each cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles, zest, or a tiny lemon slice if you’d like!
Notes
Color tip: Gel food coloring works best for vivid hues without thinning your buttercream.
Make ahead: Bake cupcakes a day ahead and store unfrosted in an airtight container. Frost and fill the next day!
Lemon curd: Homemade or store-bought works great—just go with your flavor preference.
Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temp before serving for best texture.
Tools tip: No cupcake corer? A small spoon or knife does the job just fine!
