Not only are Pink Lemonade Cupcakes absolutely adorable--they're also the fluffiest tart and refreshing bite of lemony cake and frosting, perfect for any summer celebration.
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Pink lemonade brings me back to childhood. It was such a fun twist on the original tart drink, and I loved the pop of unexpected pink! These cupcakes totally add another layer of sweet, sweet nostalgia (literally!). They couldn't be cuter, and every kid and parent alike will have a hard time stopping at just one.
Lemon cakes always have such a sophisticated air to them. They remind me of fancy desserts you might serve at a tea party. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are definitely worthy of a tea party, but they're also a lovely ender for any summertime celebration! Whether it's a pool party, cookout, block party, or picnic--these beauties will add a little fun and tart sweetness to any kind of gathering.
What's in Pink Lemonade Cupcakes?
This recipe is pretty basic, which makes it even better for entertaining since it comes together in the snap of a finger! For the cake, you just need a lemon cake box mix, oil, buttermilk, and eggs. The frosting calls for butter, pink lemonade concentrate, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. Unlike a lot of lemony desserts, you don't need to zest, juice, or slice any real lemons in the making of these cupcakes! Easy as can be.
How do you make the perfect cupcake icing?
The consistency of cupcake icing is really important if you want to pile it nice and high on the little cakes. When you mix up the icing ingredients, only add half of the powdered sugar at first. You want it to be a medium consistency, so start there and adjust as needed.
You should be able to stick a small spoon in the middle of the bowl of icing, and it stays standing up (this is the best way to test it). If it's too thick, add a little more pink lemonade concentrate. If it's too thin, add a quarter cup of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches the best consistency.
Tips for making Pink Lemonade Cupcakes:
- You get what you pay for. When you bake from boxed cake mixes, I always think the nicer brands yield a better finished product. You'll save a couple bucks on the off brand selections, but the quality is truly better in the little bit pricier ones. I like to use Betty Crocker.
- Don't ignore room temp instructions. When making the icing, both the butter and pink lemonade concentrate should be room temperature. If the concentrate is still frozen or cold, it will cause chunks of butter to harden in the icing. I like butter, but I'm not sure chunks of it in a bite of frosting is very appealing...
- Have fun with the toppings! You can get really creative with your garnishes here. Add mini umbrellas, slices of lemon, decorative sprinkles, or small paper straws, like I did here. These cupcakes are seriously precious, so deck them out however your heart desires.
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
- Yield: 18 cupcakes 1x
Description
Not only are Pink Lemonade Cupcakes absolutely adorable--they're also the fluffiest tart and refreshing bite of lemony cake and frosting, perfect for any summer celebration.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box lemon cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Oil called for in the cake mix
- 4 eggs
For the icing:
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup pink lemonade concentrate (undiluted), at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 dash salt
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the the cake mix, oil called for on the box, buttermilk, and eggs.
- Line the tin, and fill the cups ¾ of the way full. My mix made 18 cupcakes.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cupcakes are cooked through and spring back when lightly touched.
- For the icing: Add the butter, room temperature pink lemonade concentrate, vanilla, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer. (Note: If you add cold or frozen pink lemonade concentrate to the butter, it will cause the butter to solidify, which will lead to little clumps of butter in your icing. Not what we are after here.) Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until combined.
- Increase the speed to high and mix for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides a time or two.
- Add half of the powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined, and then increase speed to medium and whip for 1 to 2 minutes.
- The consistency of the icing is important if you are going to pile it high on a cupcake. It should be a medium consistency. If you mix the batch of icing with a metal teaspoon (the kind you use for dinner), the spoon should stand up straight in the middle of the bowl when it is in the icing. So, you should be able to stir it with a spoon by hand, but it should also be sturdy enough to hold the spoon up. If the icing is too thick, add a little more lemonade concentrate. If it needs to be a little thicker, add a ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and whip to combine until it's sturdy enough.
- Place in an icing bag and pipe on cooled cupcakes with M1 tip.
- Garnish as desired.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cupcake, lemonade, lemon, pink lemonade, dessert, cake mix, cake mix recipe
Want more cupcake recipes? We've got you covered!
- Cherry Chip Cupcakes
- Lightened Up Chocolate Cupcakes
- Party Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cinnamon Icing
- Sweet Tooth Fairy's VaNIElla Squared Cupcake Copycat Recipe
Ohhh isn't that fun and oh so pink! I just love how these turned out and can't wait for you to enjoy them allllllll summer long!
This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated and rephotographed in May 2019.
Lisa
i had a question about the powdered sugar, so u actually need 6 cups?
Melissa
That's how much I put in the frosting, you can always make a half batch if you'd like.
Sherri
How big are the cupcakes
Melissa
Standard size (you'll use a 12-cup muffin tin). Enjoy!
Kassi @ Truly Lovely
I've been searching for a pink lemonade recipe using a lemon mix and pink lemonade concenrate (because that's what I have on hand...) Thanks for coming to the rescue!
Jenny
These would be perfect for a summer party! I would love if you would add this to the Lovely Things Thursday Linky Party!
Rob and Marseille
my husband will love this cake for his birthday. (in june, luckily, so I can eat them too)
crystal
I have been waiting for you to put this recipe up ever since you mentioned it in your cake auction post! It sounds great and a nice refreshing change from vanilla or chocolate.