Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes . . . no one will guess that these pretty and scrumptious cupcakes start with a cake mix. The strawberry cream cheese frosting makes them extra special!
Rachel turned three in April. I know, what happened to my baby? For her birthday party, I made a unicorn cake. But her actual birthday was about a week before the party, and I felt like I needed to make something for her special day. When I asked her what she wanted, she told me “pink cake”.
She loves strawberries. No, she adores strawberries! And I had a cake mix in the pantry and a lemon in the fridge. So I decided to make Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes. I combined three of my favorite recipes to come up with these, and they were an epic success! Everyone loved them, not just the birthday girl. 🙂
The cupcakes themselves are nice and moist, with a hint of lemon flavor. They aren’t a vibrant pink color, but you could add a few drops of red food coloring if you like. The glaze on top might seem a little strange, but it adds another level of flavor to the cupcakes. Helps keep them moist as well.
Then there’s the frosting. The heavenly, I could eat it by the spoonful frosting. I love all variations of cream cheese frosting, but this one is up there at the top of my list. It’s a beautiful color, and the strawberry and lemon are a perfect flavor combination. It is so good people!!
I hope you’ll give these cupcakes a try. They are perfect for three year old birthday girls. Oh, and everyone else too! 
If you love these cupcakes, here are a few more cupcake recipes to try:
- Butterscotch Cupcakes
- Oreo Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
- Lime Cupcakes
- St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
- Oreo Cupcakes
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Scrumptious strawberry lemonade cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box yellow or white cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4-ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- pinch of salt
- 1-2 tsp lemon zest
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (more or less)
- 2 Tbsp strawberry jam
Instructions
- Combine all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat for about 2 minutes, or till smooth. Pour batter into muffin cups filled with paper liners. Fill just over half way full. (I ended up with 26 cupcakes.)
- Bake at 350° for about 15-20 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
- Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk till smooth. Brush glaze evenly over warm cupcakes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, then frost. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.
- For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add salt, lemon zest, and 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat in the strawberry jam, and add more powdered sugar to get the consistency you need. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 0gSugar: 27gProtein: 2g
I can’t wait to make These Cupcakes for The SuperBowl Gooooo Kansas City Chiefs 😋
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So fun! They will definitely make game day more delicious!
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Do you use instant pudding or pudding that is supposed to be cooked?
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I use instant, but I think the cooked version would also work fine.
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I have made these cupcakes multiple times. EVERYONE says they are the best cupcake ever! Today I am making the recipe into a 3 layer cake for my granddaughters birthday. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe!!
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So glad they have become a staple at your house. I bet that is going to be one beautiful cake! Happy birthday to your granddaughter!
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Why did my cupcakes fall in in the center? Is it because I added lemon juice?
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It is too simple!!! Today on my mother’s birthday, we made this cake. It was very delicious!!!! Everyone praised of this cake.
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This looks amazing, Kara! Featuring you tomorrow at WIW!
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The recipe says 4 eggs 1 cup sour cream. Does that mean use one or the other or both?
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