Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes, made with fresh strawberries, zesty lemon, and a luscious strawberry buttercream frosting. Perfectly balanced with a hint of tartness and sweet fruitiness, these cupcakes are an ideal treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (for the puree)
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Buttercream frosting
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons milk, optional
- 1 cup seedless strawberry preserves
Garnish
- 6 fresh strawberries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
- Make Strawberry Lemon Puree: Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, diced strawberries, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute until the strawberries are fully pureed. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil and ½ cup granulated sugar until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in Greek yogurt until smooth.
- Add Strawberry Puree and Dry Ingredients: Pour ½ cup of the strawberry lemon puree into the wet mixture and stir. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir gently until just blended; small lumps are acceptable.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon approximately ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for about 20 minutes.
- Prepare Frosting: In a large bowl, beat softened butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and a pinch of salt, continuing to beat at medium speed. Add strawberry preserves and beat until fully combined. If frosting is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pipe Frosting and Garnish: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the buttercream. Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish each cupcake with a halved fresh strawberry on top.
- Serve: Serve cupcakes at room temperature or chilled for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute the strawberry preserves in the buttercream with the leftover strawberry puree; however, this may result in a thinner, less stable frosting due to increased liquid content.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Use room temperature eggs for better batter texture and rise.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
