Go Back
+ servings
a strawberry lemon cupcake next to mint leaves

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Print Recipe
These Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes are moist and fluffy with a perfectly tender crumb. They're topped with a rich and creamy strawberry buttercream frosting, and are perfect for any occasion.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 296

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • zest of two lemons

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh strawberries pureed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. 
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar. Whisk in the eggs. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and whisk until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and stir together until just combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the liners, about 3 tablespoons of batter each. Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake an additional 10-12 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the muffin pan before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the strawberry buttercream,  beat the softened butter over medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Continue to beat over medium speed as you gradually add the powdered sugar and salt. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to fully incorporate all of the sugar. Add the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and strawberry extract if using. Beat over medium speed until frosting is light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes and add any desired toppings such as sliced strawberries, lemon wedges, or sprinkles.

Notes

  • To puree the strawberries for the frosting, you can mash them really well with a fork. Try to remove as many lumps as possible. You can also use a food processor or blender to puree them.
  • Strawberry extract is optional. I suggest preparing your frosting without it first and tasting the frosting to see how you like the flavor. If you'd like a deeper strawberry flavor, adding 1 teaspoon of extract will help to enhance it.
  • Use room temperature eggs and sour cream. This will help your ingredients to incorporate smoothly. If you haven't had time to let your eggs come to room temperature, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for five minutes before adding to the batter.
  • Piping the frosting: I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe the frosting on these cupcakes. The recipe makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes total.
  • Make sure to adjust your oven temperature during baking. Baking your strawberry lemon cupcakes at 375 for 5 minutes will help to achieve the the perfect amount of doming and rise that we look for on cupcakes. The increased temperature helps the batter puff up fast, and then reducing the temperature to 350 allows the cupcakes to finish baking. This method lends to a lovely rise and texture!
  • Change up the flavor. You could easily swap the strawberry flavor in the frosting for another fruit of your choice. Blueberry, raspberry, or blackberry would be great options. I also think these cupcakes would taste great with the coconut buttercream I use on my coconut cake!

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg