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5.0 from 18 votes

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

These beautiful pink lemonade cupcakes are perfect for baby and bridal showers, and any other cupcake-worthy occasion. They're soft and springy with a luscious sweet-tart frosting piped into perfect petals.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
48 mins
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 271 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
  • 1 ¼ cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • Red food coloring as needed
Frosting:
  • 4 ounces (1 stick / 113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup (115 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Red food coloring as needed

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the egg whites, sugar, oil, buttermilk, lemon juice and zest until well blended.
  4. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Then add the buttermilk and mix again, followed finally by the remaining dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Add red food coloring one drop at a time to achieve desired pink color.
  5. Fill each liner ½ full with batter. Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely.
  6. To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter until nice and fluffy. Pause the mixer occasionally to add the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time and beat until combined and fluffy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add red food coloring one drop at a time to achieve desired pink color.
  7. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large piping tip (preferably a closed star tip to achieve a rose look) with the frosting and frost the cupcakes as desired. To achieve a rose look with the frosting, pipe in a pinwheel from the center of the cupcake outward.
  8. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 2 days in airtight containers. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • These pink lemonade cupcakes feature oil instead of butter which not only offers a more neutral flavor but instills some serious moisture. Use vegetable oil or any other neutral-flavored oil here.
  • Instead of whole eggs I use egg whites to maintain a white a canvas for the batter. The yolks would give the cupcakes a yellowish tint which would mar the perfect pink look of these delicate treats.
  • Another element providing moisture and flavor is buttermilk. You could use regular milk instead, but I think the buttermilk adds even more tenderness to the batter and is worth including.
  • You'll need some lemon zest and fresh lemon juice for the pink lemonade cupcake batter, and some fresh lemon juice for the icing. Make sure to zest the lemon before cutting and squeezing it!
  • From my experience, one drop of red gel food coloring each is enough for the batter and frosting. I recommend using a gel food coloring, especially for the frosting, however, if you're using a water-based food coloring, you may need to add a bit more to achieve your desired color.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cupcake Calories 271kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 20mg (7%) Sodium 118mg (5%) Potassium 39mg (1%) Sugar 29g (58%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12cupcakes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 271

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cupcake
Calories 271kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 118mg 5%
Potassium 39mg 1%
Sugar 29g 58%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.