Name: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 3 c. flour; 2 t. baking powder; 2 sticks butter, softened; 1 1/2 c. sugar; 3 eggs; 2 T. fresh lemon juice; 1 T. lemon zest; 1 1/4 c. milk; pink food coloring; 3 sticks butter, softened; 4 c. powdered sugar; 2 T. lemon juice; 2 T. milk; yellow food coloring; Pink Lemonade sprinkles; Paper straws cut in half (optional)

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are a bright and fun dessert that’s full of sweet and tart flavors that are perfect for summers by the pool or gatherings with friends.

I was watching some baking shows on TV last week while working on my blog and the more I watched the more I was itching to get in the kitchen and start baking. They were making fun flavors of cupcakes and all I could think about was what fun flavors I could make.

With summer quickly approaching I thought a lemonade cupcake would be fun. I had lemons in the refrigerator and new I could come up with a great recipe that was sweet but a little bit tart. I made a basic vanilla cake recipe but added in lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to give it a little zip. Then I added in some pink food coloring to add a pop of color.

Then when it came time to make the frosting I went with buttercream but also added in fresh lemon juice. You have to be careful when doing this because it can bread your frosting so only add a little at a time.

Looking at my frosting I decided to make these cupcakes a little more fun and added some yellow food coloring to make it really contrast with the pink cupcakes. Then I topped them with pink lemonade sprinkles and put a straw in them.

The flavor was perfection. The cupcakes was sweet and the frosting added a bit of tartness to it. These would be perfect served poolside or at a summer BBQ. I think kids would enjoy them as well!

Yield: 2 dozen

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Brighten up your summer party with these sweet and tart Pink Lemonade cupcakes they pop with bright colors of fun!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. lemon zest
1 1/4 c. milk
pink food coloring

For the frosting:

3 sticks butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. milk
yellow food coloring
Pink Lemonade sprinkles
Paper straws cut in half (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
Add in the eggs and mix well.
Stir in the lemon juice and zest and mix well.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
Pour in the milk and mix until combined.
Add the remaining flour and mix until well combined.
Add a few drops of pink food coloring and mix.
Divide the cupcake batter between the prepared muffin tins filling each muffin cup 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the frosting place the butter in a large bowl and mix on medium high speed until creamy.
Stir in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time until the frosting is well combined.
Add the lemon juice, milk, and a few drops of yellow food coloring and mix until combined.
Pipe the frosting onto each of the cupcakes then sprinkles with pink and yellow sprinkles.
Cut the paper straws in half and stick a half in each one if desired.