If summer were a cupcake, it would be a Pink Lemonade Cupcake! Made from scratch with fresh lemon flavor and a smooth frosting, these cupcakes make summer fun last all year long.
Pink lemonade is the best lemonade. I don’t make the rules! After you try this cupcake recipe, you’ll want to taste these Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes next! You’ll also want to give our pink lemonade fudge recipe a try.
Why this Recipe Works
How do you turn a refreshing summer beverage into a handheld dessert? This pink lemonade cupcake recipe makes it easy.
I used my favorite, from scratch, white cupcake recipe and added in thawed lemonade concentrate. A drop of pink food coloring. This Americolor gel paste coloring gave the cupcakes the perfect light pink hue.
As delicious as these pink lemonade cupcakes taste, it’s the presentation that catches everyone’s eye. Little lemon slices, sprinkles and–of course–striped paper straws make these lemonade cupcakes party ready!
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen pink lemonade concentrate. Regular lemonade concentrate can be used too. Thaw the concentrate before adding to the batter.
- Lemon zest. Use a zesting tool or grater to remove the outermost yellow layer of a lemon’s peel. Be careful not to get any of the bitter white rind in your zest! Use our guide on how to zest a lemon.
- Cake flour. This flour contains less protein than all purpose and makes the cupcakes extra light and airy.
Easy Instructions
Make the cupcakes.
Mix together the egg whites, lemon zest and milk. In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the cake flour to the butter mixture along with baking powder and salt. Now, beat in the egg white mixture.
Slowly add the thawed pink lemonade. Beat until smooth.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 15 minutes and let cool.
Make the frosting.
Beat butter with electric beaters until smooth and pale. Add powdered sugar and pink lemonade. Beat until fluffy. Add food coloring now, if desired.
Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
Garnish! Immediately add colorful sprinkles to the frosted cupcakes. Top the cupcakes with a thin lemon slice.
Cut paper straws into thirds and stick them in the tops of cupcakes at a slight angle. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t waste your egg yolks! After separating the egg whites, set the yolks aside to make our Lemon Curd Recipe.
- The food coloring is optional but does make the cupcake frosting look extra pretty.
- We used a frosting bag with an open tip to decorate our pink lemonade cupcakes. Swirl the frosting as you pipe to make a pretty finish.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but the lemonade flavor will be much less intense.
I haven’t found an alternative to food coloring for dying this frosting. If you prefer not to use it, go ahead and just leave it out. The cupcakes will taste just as delicious!
All purpose flour will work but the cupcakes won’t taste as delicious. If you don’t have cake flour, make your own substitute with all purpose flour and cornstarch.
Measure out 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. Remove 6 tablespoons of the measured flour and replace it with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add to recipe as directed.
Store pink lemonade cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container. They’re best enjoyed within 3 days.
More Cupcake Recipes
Easy Cake Recipes
See all Cake recipes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 5 large Egg Whites
- ½ cup Skim Milk
- 1 Lemon zested
- ¾ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 ½ cups Cake Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ cup Frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate thawed
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 6 tablespoons Frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate thawed
For Garnish:
- Sprinkles
- 24 Lemon Wedges
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Add in the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined.
- Add the egg mixture and beat on high for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the pink lemonade. Beat another 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Drop the batter into cupcake tins with liners (about 2/3 full). Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Beat butter for 4 minutes with whisk attachment on an electric mixer. You want the butter to be smooth and pale in color.
- Add powdered sugar and pink lemonade. Beat an additional 3-5 minutes, until smooth and fluffy (scrape down sides of bowl as needed).
- Add food coloring if desired.
- Pipe onto cupcakes (I used an open tip) and add sprinkles immediately.
Notes
- When ready to serve, insert small lemon wedges and a small piece of paper straw if desired.
- Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Grab your swimsuit and celebrate summer with these easy Pink Lemonade Cupcakes! With a rosy pink frosting and bright citrus flavor, these cupcakes are ready to party by the pool!
What does it mean by thawed? Would it be possible to substitute fresh lemonade?
The lemonade from concentrate in the freezer section. You can use fresh lemonade, but it won’t be as “intense” as the concentrate.
Will it matter that it is in a liquid form?
I made a batch of these. For my icing, I made a Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Icing with lemon zest mixed. It was so delicious. I took them to my job and got good and bad feedback. They loved the icing and the cupcake. A few stated the cupcake was a little too thick and on the verge of dry which I agree…I like a good moist cupcake. Other than that, the flavor was super good. Hopefully I can find an ingredient that will make the cake moist along with your same recipe. Maybe pudding will do the trick…
I can’t wait to make the cupcakes! I have a question, can you freeze the cupcakes?
Thank you! So I’m guessing lots of sugar, some citric acid and pink colouring? Might have to try and make my own version, lol.
They look gorgeous, but can you please tell me what is in frozen lemonade concentrate? I live in Australia and have never heard of such a thing (plus, what we call lemonade is soft drink like Sprite – what you have for lemonade we call “American lemonade” and it’s so much nicer!)
Frozen lemonade concentrate is found in our freezer section. It’s syrupy and thick and very sugary. You add water to it to make a pitcher of “american lemonade.” Looks like this: http://www.vitadigest.com/groc-021908965130.html
I have made these twice in the past 3 weeks, one batch as a test run and shared with friends, and two batches yesterday/today for my Cousin’s Baby Shower. Thumbs up all around both from the test run and today’s Shower. I also shared your link with my coworker who made them for Mother’s Day for her family. A great success there, too.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for letting me know Lisa! So glad you enjoyed (and shared) the recipe 🙂
My daughter and I just made these. They were wonderful! We are going to bring them to our church’s dinner on the grounds for Easter. Thanks for the great recipe.
Lisa
These are seriously so cute! What a way to say goodbye to the summer!
They look fantastic!