Pink Lemonade Cupcake Recipe

These pink lemonade cupcakes are perfect for your summer parties! Bring the classic flavor of a favorite summer drink in cupcake form to your next gathering.

Made with a simple boxed cupcake base and a lemon flavored frosting, this recipe for pink lemonade cupcakes is going to surprise everyone. They’re baked in adorable pink and white liners, frosted with a pretty swirl design, and finished off with a paper straw – how delightful!

Horizontal image of pink lemonade cupcakes with frosting and pink and white straws on a wooden platter

RELATED READING: Decadent Churro and Chocolate Cupcakes (A Crowd Pleasing Churro Dessert)

Lemonade Cupcakes from Scratch

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, I’m all about simple recipes with gourmet flavor. You don’t have to be a master baker to whip up a bath of these tasty cupcakes.

Grab some measuring cups and spoons, a boxed cake mix, and get to work gathering the rest of the simple ingredients. You’ll have a batch of delicious cupcakes in no time with a presentation that will wow.

Love this but can’t make them right now? Save this to a cupcakes pin board or share it to Facebook. Either way will make it easy to find when you’re ready to begin.

Vertical Image closeup of pink cupcake with bite taken out on white plates with lemons in background

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Ingredients for This Creative Cupcake Recipe

Below are the simple ingredients you can use to create this fun recipe. If you can find a pink cake mix (not strawberry), it will save a step or two.

  • White cake mix
  • Oil
  • Egg whites
  • Water
  • Lemon extract
  • Pink food color
  • Powdered sugar
  • Unsalted butter
  • Lemon juice
Vertical image bowls full of cupcake ingredients on a marble counter

RELATED READING: Make This Pink Lemonade Fudge Recipe

How to Make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with the pretty pink liners.

Combine the white cake mix, water, egg whites, oil, lemon extract, and pink food coloring in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), and beat for about 2 minutes or until a smooth batter has formed. Remember to srape the sides as needed.

Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two thirds of the way full.

Vertical Image of Pink Lemonade Cupcake batter in a grey cupcake pan on a marble counter

Transfer the cupcake pan to the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Once baked through, transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. Combine the butter and about half of the powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer and mix on low until combined.

Add the remaining powdered sugar and the lemon juice to the mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Once it’s combined, continue mixing for an additional two minutes on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Vertical overhead image of pink frosting in a bowl on a marble counter

Add a drop of the pink food coloring, and mix it in, adding more if desired, until you achieve the color you want. Note: gel food coloring like this gives a stronger color with less, so consider using it.

Insert a large star tip into the piping bag and fill it with the frosting. Frost each of the cupcakes in your desired style. I used a raised swirl which starts at the outer edge and the piping back is pulled up as you move it around the cake.

Vertical image of pink lemonade cupcakes on a cooling rack with a piping bag full of frosting and pink and white straws

Finish them off by cutting the paper straws into thirds, and poking one into the frosting on each of the cupcakes.

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Please Save or Share this Pink Lemonade Dessert Idea

Your shares are how this site grows and I am sincerely grateful. Please save this pink lemonade cupcake recipe to a dessert or cupcakes pin board or share it with a recipe group on Facebook.

Vertical Image of a closeup of a single cupcake with pink frosting, pink and white wrapper, and pink and white straw with text which reads the Best Pink Lemonade Cupcakes.
Yield: 24

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Square image of pink lemonade cupcakes on a wooden board with brown parchment paper

These pink lemonade cupcakes are perfect for your summer parties! Try the classic flavor of a favorite summer drink in cupcake form.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • ½ c oil
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 ½ c water
  • 1 t lemon extract
  • Pink food color

For the Frosting

  • 4 c powdered sugar
  • 1 c unsalted butter
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • Pink food color

Instructions

    1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line your cupcake pan with the pretty pink liners.
    2. Combine the white cake mix, water, egg whites, oil, lemon extract and pink food coloring in a large bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, and beat for about 2 minutes, until a smooth batter has formed. Don't forget to scrape the sides as needed, to make sure that everything mixes smoothly.
    3. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two thirds of the way full.
    4. Transfer the cupcake pan to the oven, and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Once baked through, transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.
    5. Once the cupcakes are cool, you can start making the frosting. Start by combining the butter and about half of the powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer, and mixing on low until combined.
    6. Then you're going to add the remaining powdered sugar and the lemon juice to the mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Once it's combined, continue mixing for an additional two minutes on medium speed, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
    7. Add a drop o the pink food coloring, and mix it in, adding more if desired, until you achieve the color you want.
    8. Insert a large star tip into your piping bag, and fill it with the frosting, then frost each of the cupcakes.
    9. Finish them off by cutting the paper straws into thirds, and poking one into the frosting on each of the cupcakes.

Notes

Storage: Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months. The straw will not fit in most cupcake containers, so place just prior to serving, if desired

Supplies:
Pink paper straws, cut into thirds
Pink cupcake liners

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 1g

All nutrition information is estimated. For accuracy, please calculate your exact brands and ingredients if accuracy is desired.

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