These scrumptious strawberry lemonade cupcakes start with a cake mix. Filled with sweet lemon curd and topped with the most incredible lemon cream cheese frosting. The perfect summer treat.
Searching for more summer favorites? Nothing beats the heat like a tall glass of ice cold Lemonade. Try it with berries in my Strawberry Lemonade or even frozen with my Frosted Lemonade Recipe! This quick dessert embodies the flavor of summer, but in cupcake form!
This post was originally published April 7, 2014. It has since been updated to include fresh photos and helpful recipe tips. This post is not sponsored and in no way affiliated with Jell-O or the Kraft Heinz brand.
Recipe Features
- Cake Mix Hack: This recipe starts with my fan-favorite Strawberry Cupcake. They are my mom’s all-time favorite and the most requested from her and my sister.
- Beginner Baking Recipe: No-fail, thanks to the cake mix.
- Freezer Friendly: Bake and freeze the cupcakes for later.
These straberry lemon cupcakes are perfection. Perfectly fluffy and moist cake is bursting with strawberry flavor with a tangy citrus filling. Bonus? The recipe uses frozen berries, which means you don’t have to wait for berry season to whip up a batch!
I like to think this is the perfect flavor combination for summer. Sweet berries with a hint of lemon flavor topped with the most incredible cream cheese frosting. A family favorite that I am sure you will fall in love with too!
Cake Mix Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
I feel like I should give you a quick peek at the thought process behind this easy lemon cupcake recipe. All of the magic starts with my strawberry cupcake recipe which is then filled with a lemon pie filling and topped with the most dreamy and magical Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting from my friend Dessert Now Dinner Later. Here’s everything you’ll need for this simple cupcake:
- White Cake Mix + Flour: A white cake mix is going to be the base for these bakery worthy cupcakes! Because we’re adding fresh fruits you’ll need to help the structure by stirring in just a smidge more flour.
- Strawberry Jello: Yes, Jell-O. This helps to really enhance the strawberry flavor!
- Strawberries: Frozen berries that have been thawed and blended into a puree.
- Eggs: 4 large eggs. These provide structure and help add to the richness of the cake.
- Oil and Water: These two are key to giving you a super moist cake.
- Lemon Filling: I have made this two ways with delicious results. The first, lemon curd. It’s a little time intensive, or expensive if you opt to purchase it ready made. The second option, and our new go-to is Lemon Instant Jello. I whip it up according to the package and scoop it right into the cupcakes.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe is not mine. It’s actually not even the original recipe that I included in this post. BUT it is so stinken delicious that you have to try it. I insist. Here is what you need:
- Cream Cheese: The secret with this frosting is to use cream cheese you pull straight from the fridge. No need to let it come to room temp.
- Butter: Soft-ish. Mine was still chilled a smidgen, but pressed in when I pushed with my fingers.
- Powdered Sugar: Only 1 cup! That’s the secret to letting the lemon flavor shine.
- Lemon: The original recipe calls for zest, juice, and extract. I liked it with just the zest and juice and felt like the lemon flavor shined.
- Cream: NOT on the original recipe, but I like a lighter frosting. I stirred in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and whipped the frosting for an additional 5 minutes until it was light and fluffy.
For a quick and easy decoration consider placing Candied Strawberry OR Candied Lemon Slice on the top to give it a little WOW factor.
Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
This cupcake recipe could not be simpler. Let’s dive in:
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners and set aside for later.
- MIX: Stir together the cake mix, flour, jello, blended berries, eggs, oil and water. Whisk until smooth and divide between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full.
- BAKE: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
- FILL: Once the cupcake shave cooled completely, remove the center by following my tutorial for how to fill a cupcake. Add a heaping spoonful of lemon curd or pudding into the hole. Press the removed portion of cake back onto the top to cover the filling.
- FROST: Pipe or spread the frosting over the top of the cake and enjoy!
Helpful Tools
- Cupcake Liners: I’m a big fan of neutral cupcake liner (affiliate) colors. I feel like the star of the show should be the cake itself, but you can find dozens of color options (affiliate).
- Scoop: I’m obsessed with my cookie scoop (affiliate). I use it for cookies BUT I also use it to evenly fill cupcake liners. This ensures perfect sized cupcakes every single time.
- Cupcake Corer: These cupcakes are filled with a dreamy key lime pie filling. Using a cupcake corer (affiliate) can make this process super quick and easy.
Recipe Notes:
The recipe does best with a white cake mix. I’ve tested many brands with equally delicious results. Use your favorite.
Yes, however that won’t be necessary. The added jello and pureed berries makes this the most flavor packed cupcake I’ve ever made.
These cupcakes are best when eaten within 2 days but will stay fresh up to 5.
Yep! Traditionally I used my strawberry frosting from this post.
Because this frosting uses cream cheese, these cupcakes need to be stored in an airtight container inside the refrigerator.
More Must-Try Strawberry Recipes
- No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast with Strawberries
- 5-Minute Strawberry Cake
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Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 oz package strawberry Jell-O
- 8 oz frozen strawberries thawed and pureed in a blender.
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
Lemon Filling
- 1 (3.4 oz) Lemon Instant Pudding see notes
- 2 cups cold milk
Additional:
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting see notes
- lemons or strawberries for decoration
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners and set aside for later.
- Stir together the cake mix, flour, jello, blended berries, eggs, oil and water. Whisk until smooth.
- Divide between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
Filling:
- Whisk together the pudding mix and milk. Let it sit for five minutes, or until it begins to thicken.
- Remove the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or paring knife. Fill each hole with a spoonful of the lemon filling. Gently press the removed pieces of the cupcakes back over the filling, covering.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine the cream cheese and butter into a stand mixing bowl that is fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Whip for 2 minutes, or until combined and smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar.
- Mix on low speed until combined.
- For a fluffier frosting, add 2 tablespoons of cream into the frosting and whip for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Notes
- You can use lemon curd or canned pie filling in place of the pudding for the filling.
- The ingredient measurements for the Lemon Cream Cheese frosting can be found on Dessert Now Dinner Later.
Nutrition
Equipment
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Comments & Reviews
Meriem says
Such pretty cupcakes! I love the bright colors!
Chichi says
Cupcakes look so pretty Jessica
Aimee @ Like Mother Like Daughter says
Mmm these look so pretty and so delicious too. Perfect for summer!!