Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes have my heart. There’s something about the combination of real strawberries and bright lemon that feels fresh like a perfect summer day in cupcake form. They’re filled with a strawberry lemonade curd that tastes just like pink lemonade, and topped with a Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting.
I’ve been testing a few strawberry + lemon combinations lately, trying to get that balance just right—not too sweet, not too tart, and with actual flavor coming through in every layer. These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes are the version I keep coming back to.
Why you’ll love these cupcakes
These are layered, but each part has a purpose.
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- The frosting is balanced—not overly sweet or greasy, just like my Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes
- The cupcake stays soft and moist without feeling heavy
- The strawberry flavor comes through naturally (not artificial)
- The lemon adds brightness without overpowering
- The curd filling makes them feel a little more special
Key Ingredients & Why I Use Them
Strawberries (pureed and reduced): I always reduce the puree slightly. It concentrates the flavor and keeps excess water out of the batter and frosting.
Lemon zest + juice: I use both. The zest brings the aroma, and the juice adds the sharpness that makes everything taste fresh.
Oil + butter combination: Butter gives flavor, but oil keeps the cupcakes soft for days. I prefer using both instead of choosing one.
Buttermilk: This helps keep the crumb tender and adds a slight tang that works really well with the fruit.
Cream cheese frosting base: I find cream cheese works better here than a straight buttercream—it cuts the sweetness and ties everything together.
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
The full recipe card is below, but here’s how I make them step by step so that you’ll feel confident the whole time.
Step 1: Make the strawberry puree
Place the strawberries in a blender. Blend until the strawberries becomes a puree. Pour the pureed strawberries in a medium saucepan, place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and stir often.
Cook the puree until it reduces to ¾ to 1 cup. You will use ¼ cup for the cupcake batter, another ¼ for the curd, and another ¼ for the frosting. It takes me about 10 minutes to reduce the puree, but can depend on how high the heat it.
Remember to stir occasionally, and after pouring the puree into a heat-safe measuring cup, check the amount — if there’s still too much liquid, return it to the pan to cook a bit longer before measuring again.
Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the puree so it doesn’t form a crust. Let the puree cool down completely before using it in the recipes. You can make it 1 day ahead and keep it in the fridge.
Step 2: Start the cupcake batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with liners.
I start by creaming the butter and sugar just until lighter—not overly fluffy.
Then I add the oil and lemon zest and mix until the mixture looks smooth and emulsified.
Step 3: Add the eggs
Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla in with the last egg and mix until it looks smooth and emulsified.
Step 4: Add the strawberry puree
Add the strawberry puree and mix until combined. If desired, add no more than one drop of pink food coloring to enhance the color.
Step 5: Alternate the dry ingredients and buttermilk
From here, I alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk. I always stop mixing as soon as everything comes together. Overmixing here will make the cupcakes dense instead of soft.
Step 6: Bake
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling and frosting.
Step 7: Strawberry Lemonade Curd
This curd will go inside the cupcakes, yum! First, I beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs one at a time.
Step 8: Add the straberry puree and lemon juice
After that, I mix in the strawberry puree and lemon juice. At this stage, the mixture might look slightly separated—that’s normal.
Step 9: Cook down
I transfer everything to a saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Don’t walk away, and I don’t let it boil!
Cook the curd slowly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches about 170°F.
Once thickened, I strain it into a bowl and let it cool before refrigerating for at least a couple of hours. It thickens significantly as it chills.
Step 10: Make the frosting
I start by beating the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese and mix until fully combined.
Step 11: Add the powdered sugar
Add the powdered sugar in two stages, mixing on low first so it doesn’t go everywhere.
Step 12: Divide the frosting
Add the lemon zest and mix. Divide the frosting evenly between two bowls.
To one bowl, add the strawberry puree and mix until combined. Add ½ to 1 cup powdered sugar as needed to thicken the strawberry frosting. Add a drop of pink food coloring if desired.
Step 13: Whip the frosting
With their new added flavors, whip the frostings to the ideal consistency.
Step 14: Assemble the frosting
Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Spread the lemon frosting in a strip, and right next to it spread the strawberry frosting.
Step 15: Roll up the frosting
Roll the plastic wrap tightly into a log and place it inside a piping bag fitted with your desired tip. I used a 4B.
Step 16: Assemble the cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, and you’ve prepped both the curd and the frosting, use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill the center with the chilled strawberry lemonade curd.
Then, pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. Top with a halved strawberry and a lemon slice. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
A few things that make a noticeable difference:
- Let the strawberry puree cool completely before using
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour goes in
- Keep the curd at a gentle heat—never boiling
- Chill the curd fully before filling
This is where most people go wrong: Adding too much liquid (especially from the strawberry puree) or not reducing it enough. It affects the structure of both the cupcakes and the frosting.
Storage / Make Ahead
Because the filling and frosting contain dairy, I store these in the fridge. Before serving, I let them sit out for about 20–30 minutes so the texture softens. The fully assembled cupcakes will last 4-5 days in the fridge. See below for more storage tips.
- Cupcakes: up to 4–5 days refrigerated
- Strawberry Lemon Curd: up to 5 days in the fridge
- Frosting: up to 3 days (bring to room temp and rewhip)
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months
FAQ
Yes. I usually make the puree and curd a day in advance.
Most likely from overmixing or too much liquid in the batter.
Yes, but only unfrosted and unfilled for best results.
Yes. This recipe works for both regular and jumbo sizes.
Variations
I usually stick to this version, but I’ve tried a few small adjustments:
- Use freeze-dried strawberry powder in the frosting instead of puree for a more intense flavor
- Skip the curd if you want something simpler
- Swap buttermilk for milk + a bit of vinegar if needed
- Add a touch of pink food coloring for a brighter look
- try this with raspberries or blueberries instead!
More recipes you might like
If you like this combination, you’d probably also enjoy my Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze, which lean a bit more buttery and tender. My lemon cupcakes are a simpler option if you want something more straightforward, and my strawberry cheesecake is what I usually make when I want a richer version of these same flavors.
Final Thoughts
If you make these, let me know how they turn out or tag me so I can see them.
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 453 grams strawberries 16oz
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 191g
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 60ml
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup strawberry puree 60g
- ⅓ cup buttermilk 80ml
Strawberry Lemonade Curd
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened (85g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 133g
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup lemon juice 60ml
- ¼ cup strawberry puree 60g
Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 339g
- ¾ cup cream cheese, room temperature 170g
- 5 to 5½ cups powdered sugar 600 to 660g
- ¼ cup strawberry puree 60g
Decoration
- strawberries halves
- lemon slices
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Place the strawberries in a blender. Blend until the strawberries becomes a puree.
- Pour the pureed strawberries in a medium saucepan, place over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer, and stir often.
- Cook the puree until it reduces to ¾ to 1 cup. You will use ¼ cup for the cupcake batter, another ¼ for the curd, and another ¼ for the frosting, but it’s good to have a bit leftover just in case, so make it a heaping ¾ cup or a full cup.
- It can take 10 minutes or a bit longer to reduce the puree. It depends on how high the heat is.
- Remember to stir occasionally, and after pouring the puree into a heat-safe measuring cup, check the amount — if there’s still too much liquid, return it to the pan to cook a bit longer before measuring again.
- Pour in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the puree so it doesn’t form a crust. Let the puree cool down completely before using it in the recipes. You can make it 1 day ahead and keep it in the fridge.
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter for about 30 seconds until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for another 1–2 minutes, until slightly lighter in color.
- Add the vegetable oil and lemon zest. Beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture looks creamy and emulsified.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract with the last egg.
- Add the strawberry puree and mix until combined. If desired, add no more than one drop of pink food coloring to enhance the color.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the buttermilk and mix. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling and frosting.
Strawberry Lemonade Curd
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute in a mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another minute, until creamy.
- Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix, making sure the first egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add the strawberry puree, the lemon juice, zest and salt and mix on low speed until combined. The mixture might look separated and that’s okay.
- Pour it into a small saucepan with a heavy bottom and place it over medium-low heat.
- Make sure you don’t let the curd come to a boil at any point, and don’t stop stirring at any point either, because that will lead to the eggs curdling, and the curd will taste like scrambled eggs.
- Heat the curd slowly until a candy thermometer reads 170ºF (76ºC). If you don’t have a thermometer, the curd should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. Once you achieve a nice thick curd, strain it, and place it in a bowl. Let it come to room temperature, then place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The curd will set and get very thick as it cools.
Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter in the bowl of a mixer for about 30 seconds until smooth.
- Add the cream cheese and beat for another 30 seconds on medium speed until combined and creamy.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat briefly until smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar, reserving about ½ cup. Mix on low until combined.
- Add the lemon zest and mix. Divide the frosting evenly between two bowls.
- To one bowl, add the strawberry puree and mix until combined. Add an additional ½ to 1 cup powdered sugar as needed to thicken the strawberry frosting. Add a drop of pink food coloring if desired.
- If needed, adjust consistency in both frostings by adding more powdered sugar until they are thick but pipeable.
- Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Spread the lemon frosting in a strip, and right next to it spread the strawberry frosting.
- Roll the plastic wrap tightly into a log and place it inside a piping bag fitted with your desired tip. I used a 4B.
Assemble
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake.
- Fill the center with the chilled strawberry lemonade curd.
- Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. Top with a halved strawberry and a lemon slice.
Notes
- For best texture and flavor, let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens.
- Unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- The strawberry lemonade curd can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- The frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Before using, let it come to room temperature and rewhip briefly until smooth.
- You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature before filling and frosting.
Seriously, this is the best recipe for “from scratch” cupcakes I have found yet! Delicious, moist and perfect lemon flavor! I’m so excited about them, I’m posting this comment prior to even making the frosting! I’m confident the frosting will be just as amazing! Thank you for sharing, I will forever follow your blog!
Krys
Aweee omg thank you so much Krystin!!! I really appreciate it!!! I am so happy you loved the recipe!!! Have a fabulous day!!!
How long will these cupcakes and icing keep, and I assume you recommend keeping them in the refrigerator until they are ready to be served?
Yes I do recommend to keep them in the refrigerator. And they will keep nicely for up to 3-4 days, if you keep them covered in the fridge, in a container.
Made these for my daughter’s bday. They were delicious! Rolling the two icings in plastic wrap then putting in piping bag posed from issues. I had to scrap that process. A video showing how you did this would be helpful. Thanks for the great recipe!
I will try to make a tutorial about this. Thank you for the idea! Have a great day! I am glad you thought they were delicious!
I love the lemon strawberry combo and I also love using freeze dried strawberries to flavour creams etc. gorgeous recipe
I LOVE strawberry lemonade…so much so, that when I was younger and had braces, I always chose pink and yellow as my colors to resemble the lemonade. So dorky, I know! Haha! Anywho, what I am saying is, I need to try these cupcakes ASAP!!!!
haha you’re funny. that’s a cute lil story!! Thanks for sharing!
I am addicted to anything with strawberry and lemon. These are so cute and summery. My niece, she’s 10 years old, loves making cupcakes. I’m going to send her your recipe. I love that you didn’t use butter to make the cupcakes. The must be so light and moist!
Yess I never use butter on my cupcakes for exactly that reason! Thank you so much, April!
These are exactly what my soul needs right now since we seem to be stuck in perpetual winter in the Midwest!! These sound like summer in a cupcake! 😀 I will definitely make them soon!
Word up, Steph! We are stuck in January! lol Hopefully the good weather will come soon!!
These are so pretty! I love the swirled frosting and that the swirls are different flavors. This would be so much fun to serve at a summer baby shower or birthday party!
Thanks my dear! These are quite the fun summer cupcakes!!
These are definitely the freshest and brightest! They look so yummy and I’m sure they are, and they’re so addictive!
Thank you dear Fred!! I appreciate your comment!
These sound amazing- and that frosting! Oh man that sounds dangerous (in the best way!). It might never make it to the cupcakes!
Yes, very dangerous indeed! I just wanted to get them out of my house lol!!
These are so adorable! I love using freeze dried berries and keep them in my cupboard all the time. They definitely add a lot of flavor and what a great idea to use them in your frosting!
Thank you, Shelby! I really love freeze dried berries too!!
That frosting looks gorgeous, what a fab idea using freeze dried strawberries, such beautiful cupcakes:-)
Thanks, Nicky!! I appreciate your lovely comment!!
These cupcakes are too beautiful to eat. Love your photos!
Thank you, Alida!!
What a beautiful looking cupcake, so understated and elegant. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for freeze-dried strawberries.
They are the best! I love them as a snack!
These cupcakes are so beautiful! I love the strawberry lemonade cream cheese frosting – sounds soooo good!
Thank you, Natalie!