These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are light, bright, and bursting with fresh summer flavor. Soft lemon cupcakes made with real lemon juice and zest are topped with silky strawberry buttercream frosting made from fresh berries. Perfect for spring and summer parties, picnics, or anytime you crave a refreshing dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You’ll love these Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes because they’re a perfect balance of sweet and tangy, combining fluffy lemon cake with creamy, real-strawberry frosting. They’re easy to make, beautifully pink and yellow, and ideal for birthdays, brunches, baby showers, or warm-weather gatherings. Every bite tastes like sunshine — soft, fruity, and perfectly refreshing.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

If you could capture summer in a cupcake, this would be it. Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are the ultimate warm-weather dessert — soft, zesty lemon cakes topped with fluffy strawberry buttercream that tastes like fresh-picked fruit and sunshine in every bite.

This recipe takes classic lemonade flavors and transforms them into a light, elegant dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make from scratch. It’s everything you want in a homemade cupcake recipe — tender crumb, balanced flavor, and a stunning presentation that looks bakery-perfect but requires no special tools.

Let’s talk flavor: the cupcakes have real lemon juice and zest, which bring a clean, vibrant citrus note without bitterness. The sour cream keeps them soft and moist, while egg whites make the crumb delicate and airy — a hallmark of great cupcakes.

Then comes the fresh strawberry frosting — made with real berries, not artificial flavoring. The strawberries are puréed and reduced slightly to concentrate their sweetness and color, resulting in a natural pink hue and bright berry flavor. It’s smooth, creamy, and pairs beautifully with the tangy lemon base.

Unlike heavy frostings, this one feels light and fresh, thanks to the balance of butter, fruit, and just the right amount of sugar. The touch of whipping cream makes it extra silky and easy to pipe or spread.

These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes aren’t just delicious — they’re also visually stunning. The combination of pale yellow cake and pastel pink frosting makes them perfect for spring holidays, Easter, Mother’s Day, bridal showers, or any celebration that calls for something sweet but refreshing.

They’re also incredibly versatile. You can make mini versions for dessert tables, or bake them as full cupcakes with decorative swirls of strawberry frosting and a fresh berry on top.

If you’re into fruit-flavored desserts, this is a must-try. It’s a recipe that feels both classic and modern — the kind of cupcake that turns heads on Instagram but still tastes homemade and comforting.

The real secret to their flavor is freshness. Using freshly squeezed lemon juice and real strawberries makes all the difference — bottled juice and artificial extracts just can’t compete. The flavor is bright, fragrant, and perfectly natural.

Another thing bakers will appreciate: this recipe is fail-proof. With clear, step-by-step instructions and easy-to-find ingredients, even beginner bakers can achieve perfect results.

Serve them chilled for an extra refreshing touch, or at room temperature for the creamiest frosting texture. Either way, they taste like a cross between lemonade and strawberry shortcake — light, tangy, and completely irresistible.

These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are everything a dessert should be: soft, sweet, tangy, and full of personality. One bite, and you’ll understand why they’re a fan-favorite among summer cupcake recipes.

Servings & Time

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest

• 3 large egg whites (discard yolks)

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Strawberry Frosting

• 8 oz fresh strawberries

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 tbsp whipping cream (optional, for texture)

Instructions

1. Prep the strawberries:

   • Wash and hull strawberries.

   • Purée them in a blender or food processor until smooth.

   • Optional: simmer the purée in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes to reduce slightly. Cool completely before using.

2. Make the cupcakes:

   • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

   • In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

   • In a separate large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

   • Add egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla.

   • Mix in sour cream and lemon juice until combined.

   • Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until smooth.

3. Bake:

   • Divide the batter evenly among liners, filling each about 2/3 full.

   • Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   • Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

4. Make the frosting:

   • In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy.

   • Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

   • Add cooled strawberry purée and continue mixing.

   • Gradually add more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached.

   • Mix in whipping cream if needed for a softer texture.

5. Frost the cupcakes:

   • Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread strawberry frosting on top.

   • Garnish with fresh strawberry slices or lemon zest if desired.

Tips

• Reduce strawberry purée: For a stronger flavor and stable frosting, cook the purée to concentrate it before adding to butter.

• Room temperature ingredients: Ensure butter, sour cream, and eggs are at room temp for even mixing.

• Zest smart: Use only the yellow part of the lemon — the white pith is bitter.

• Storage: Store in the fridge up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

• Flavor twist: Add a touch of lemon curd in the cupcake center for extra zing.