Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes – Light and fluffy lemon cupcakes topped with lemon buttercream coloured the perfect shade of pink!

When I think of summer, Pink Lemonade is one of the first flavours that comes to mind. It’s refreshing and I love the colour pink! These Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat for summer!

What you will need to make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Aside from the staples that you probably already have in your fridge and pantry, here are a few extras you will need.

Pink Food Colouring – I like using food colouring gels as you only need a tiny drop to make a lot of colour. WIlton and Americolor are my go-to brands for food colouring.

Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds moisture to these cupcakes. 

How to make Buttermilk

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a substitute. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the 1/4 cup of milk called for in this recipe and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.

1 Lemon – I added lemon juice to both the cake batter and buttercream as well as zest to the batter for that tart lemon flavour. 

Powdered Sugar

Heavy cream – Heavy whipping cream is the key to a light and fluffy buttercream. 

How to make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. 

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.

Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, then half of the buttermilk, mixing in between each addition. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix just to combine. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing between each addition.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined 12 count cupcake pan. 

Bake for about 18 minutes. The cupcakes are done when the tops spring back when lightly touched.

Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack.

How to make Pink Lemonade Buttercream 

Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, and powdered sugar together on low until smooth.

Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Then, whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add 1-2 drops of pink food colouring and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pipe swirls of buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Top with lemon wedges and lemon zest!

If you try these Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cremedelacombe.

More Cupcake recipes to try:

Rosé Cupcakes

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Recipe by Kelsey LacombeCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

cupcakes

Prep time

30

minutes

Bake time

18

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Sweet lemony cupcakes topped with a tart, pink lemonade buttercream!

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

• 1/4 cup lemon juice, about 1 lemon

• 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest, about 1 lemon

• For the Buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Directions

• For the Cupcakes
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcakes liners.
• In the bowl of a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, then half of the buttermilk, mixing in between each addition. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix just to combine. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing between each addition.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined 12 count cupcake pan.
• Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• For the Buttercream
• Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, and powdered sugar together on low until smooth.
• Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Then, whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add 1-2 drops of pink food colouring and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Pipe swirls of buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Top with lemon wedges and lemon zest!