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    Home » FOOD

    Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe - Perfect for Summer!

    Published: Sep 6, 2018 · Modified: Oct 28, 2022 by Rhonda · 25 Comments

    Post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to our disclosure policy for more information.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are moist and sweet cupcakes that are tangy thanks to the yummy lemon cupcake and sweet buttercream frosting! What better symbol of Summer is there than lemonade?

    Pink Lemonade Cupcake with white frosting

    Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

    With summer in winding down, I wanted to make something that would add a sweet touch to our afternoon pool play time or help us celebrate our family picnics at the park. 

    This cupcake recipe is an easy way to have a delicious treat while you enjoy the warm days and relaxed evenings with your family. You should already have the ingredients needed to make these cupcakes in your pantry and fridge!

    Before you get started on this easy recipe to make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes from scratch, here are a few helpful hints:

    Ingredients Needed:

    • Sugar
    • butter
    • eggs
    • vanilla
    • flour
    • baking powder
    • milk
    • lemon extract
    • red food coloring
    • unsalted butter
    • powdered sugar
    • salt
    • heavy cream

    What Does Creaming Butter Mean?

    For some reason, creaming butter is one of my favorite steps. I always get a little excited when it's time to set out the sticks in preparation for my next sweet adventure.

    Creaming butter and sugar together is one of the most important steps in baking. The texture and temperature of your butter can make or break your baked good. You want to make sure it's soft, but never melting.  Once you add your sugar into the butter, you want blend it together until it's fluffy and doesn't stick to the sides of your mixing bowl. 

    Also, when adding flour (or other powdered ingredients to your butter) always start on the lowest setting so you don't find yourself cleaning the 'dust' from your mixer and counter top.

    Creaming butter and sugar together making cupcakes

    How Do I Make Sure that I Don't Add Too Much Food Coloring?

    There is no 'right' amount of red food coloring for this recipe - the drops are up to you. I wanted a more defined, obvious color difference in my layers. But, you may want something more subtle. Add half the drops then mix well to judge your color. If you want more vibrancy - add more. Remember: you're going to split your batter so go with the lightest color first.

    Adding red food coloring into batter
    Layering pink cupcake batter into paper liners

     

    I used a spoon to place my layers because I wasn't concentrating on a perfect layer. If you desire something more symmetrical you can use an icing bag or other tool that is more precise. My biggest challenge was keeping the family from running (read: stomping) through the kitchen while I filled the cups. I'm sure my two year old's antics led to the more....creative...layers. But, if your color layers blend or shift - don't worry! An abstract flow of the two colors can create a beautiful cupcake; they don't need to be perfect.

    What Type of Frosting Do You Use?

    With this batch I used a classic butter cream frosting. But, if you're crunched for time, a marshmallow fluff works just as well. Wanting to really capture the summer feel, I decorated with butterfly gummies and colored sugar. Ironically - the gummies are sugar free.

    Looking for more pretty pink food ideas? Check out these yummy ideas! Our Pink Pinwheel sugar cookies will look great on a tray for a tea party in the Spring!  Our yummy homemade Strawberry butter is a great way to use up your fresh strawberries!  If you are looking for a yummy twist on breakfast, then our sweet and tangy muffins full of Lemon and Strawberry flavors will quickly become a favorite! 

    This recipe was originally published on Remaking June Cleaver; aka now Momskoop.com. 

    📖 Recipe

    Pink Lemonade Cupcake with white frosting

    Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe

    Kenda
    Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are moist and sweet cupcakes that are tangy thanks to the yummy lemon cupcake and sweet buttercream frosting! 
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Desserts and Sweet Baked Goods
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 791 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup white sugar
    • ½ cup butter softened
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ c milk
    • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon extract
    • 5 - 8 drops red food coloring

    Buttercream Frosting

    • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
    • 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
    • line cupcake pan with cupcake papers
    • Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time
    • Add vanilla and stir
    • Combine flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture and mix well
    • Stir in milk until batter is smooth
    • Add lemon extract while keeping mixer on medium
    • Continue to mix until fully blended
    • Add red food coloring and mix until blended to a light pink
    • Place half of batter in a separate bowl and set aside
    • Add additional food coloring drops to one bowl and mix until blended to a dark pink
    • Fill each cupcake paper ⅓ with light mixture
    • Repeat second third with dark mixture
    • Continue until cups are filled
    • Bake 20 - 25 minutes until tops spring back when touched
    • FROSTINGCream butter on medium speed until smooth
    • Turn mixer to low and add 3 cups of powdered sugar
    • Blend well
    • Increase mixer to medium and add vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream. Beat for 3 minutes.
    • If frosting is too soft, add remaining sugar. If frosting is too stiff, add remaining milk/cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 791kcalCarbohydrates: 140gProtein: 4gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 206mgSugar: 125g
    Keyword How to make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, Lemonade Cupcakes, Momskoop, Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Rhonda

    About Rhonda

    Rhonda is a wanna be foodie, coffee and chocolate lover, and a genealogy nerd. If shopping was a sport, she would actually set records for it. Creating recipes in her kitchen is how she relaxes. She also loves spending time with her family and getting away when she can to the lake.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MICHAEL A LAW says

      January 27, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      Looks delicious!

      Reply
    2. Nova S says

      January 13, 2023 at 10:28 pm

      ooh these sound super cute and yummy

      Reply
    3. LAMusing says

      July 19, 2012 at 6:27 pm

      So pretty! And they sound so yummy too! Nice for summer

      Reply
    4. Zipporah Sandler says

      June 17, 2012 at 3:37 pm

      What beautiful cupcakes. I have to remember this for the next time I have to bake for a shower.

      Reply
    5. Notorious Spinks says

      June 14, 2012 at 10:25 pm

      These look super yummy!

      Reply
    6. Tammy says

      June 14, 2012 at 3:33 pm

      It looks so light and fluffy. Yummy.

      Reply
    7. Canadian Mom Blogger says

      June 14, 2012 at 1:44 pm

      OMG...I want some! Great pictures.

      Reply
    8. Jennifer says

      June 13, 2012 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      I don't know what's better.. the cupcakes or how great your nails look! hehe.

      Reply
    9. katie mitchell says

      June 13, 2012 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      These are so beautiful, these would be the perfect cupcakes to make this summer

      Reply
    10. debra p says

      June 12, 2012 at 11:58 pm

      Beautiful and they look absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    11. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

      June 12, 2012 at 3:52 pm

      It looks so pretty and summery. :)

      Reply
    12. Stef says

      June 12, 2012 at 2:53 pm

      Your cupcakes are perfect!

      Reply
    13. Alison says

      June 12, 2012 at 6:36 am

      5 stars
      Oh my these look delicious! Love the Gummy Butterflies too!

      Reply
    14. Anne - Mommy Has to Work says

      June 11, 2012 at 11:24 pm

      These look wonderful!!

      Reply
    15. Colleen says

      June 11, 2012 at 10:43 pm

      Beautiful and they look oh so tasty,.

      Reply
    16. Virginia from That Bald Chick says

      June 11, 2012 at 8:04 pm

      5 stars
      I just fell in love with a cupcake.

      Reply
    17. Marcie W. says

      June 11, 2012 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      These sound amazing and hubs' loves lemon flavored sweets, so this would be great for Father's Day around here too (pink and ALL!)

      Reply
    18. Elena says

      June 11, 2012 at 5:04 pm

      Looks yummy! I love the butterflies on top!

      Reply
    19. Donna says

      June 11, 2012 at 3:53 pm

      5 stars
      They look almost too pretty to eat!

      Reply
    20. Kathryn says

      June 11, 2012 at 1:58 pm

      You are a cupcake goddess! The cupcakes and the pics are both gorgeous! :)

      Reply
    21. Wendy T says

      June 11, 2012 at 12:41 pm

      Those are beautiful. I especially love the butterflies on top :)

      Reply
    22. Billie says

      June 11, 2012 at 12:30 pm

      These sounds light and refreshing. I don't know if I could pull them off though.

      Reply
    23. Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy says

      June 11, 2012 at 12:26 pm

      Those look so pink and delicious!

      Reply
    24. Jenn says

      June 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      These are perfect for summer!

      Reply
    25. Theresa says

      June 11, 2012 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      These look so good. Wow. Just yummy!

      Reply
    5 from 9 votes (1 rating without comment)

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