Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Description
Sweet macerated strawberries and tart lemon are a winning combination in this strawberry lemonade cupcake recipe. They're perfect for a summer party.
Ingredients
•
12 ounces strawberries, chopped, or more to taste
•
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
•
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
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2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•
1/4 teaspoon salt
•
1 1/4 cups white sugar
•
2 sticks butter
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4 eggs, at room temperature
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract
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1/2 cup 2% milk
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3 cups powdered sugar
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1 stick butter
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1 tablespoon 2% milk, or as needed
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1 tablespoon lemon zest
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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4 strawberries, sliced, or more to taste
Directions
1
Place 12 ounces chopped strawberries in a bowl; cover with 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar. Refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
3
Mash chopped strawberry and sugar mixture with a potato masher, or pulse gently in the bowl of a food processor until strawberries are chunky. Strain strawberries over a bowl, reserving juice.
4
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.
5
Beat 1 ¼ cups white sugar and 1 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale yellow and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl; beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and strawberry extract.
6
Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with ½ cup milk, blending well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
7
Fold in mashed strawberries and 5 tablespoons strawberry juice with a wooden spoon until well incorporated; you can see strawberry bits showing throughout batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each ¾ full.
8
Bake in the preheated oven until tops are golden color and tops spring back when pressed, about 18 minutes.
9
Cool in muffin cups for 5 minutes; transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling, about 30 minutes more.
10
Combine confectioners' sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 tablespoon milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until creamy.
11
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes; garnish each with 1 strawberry slice.