Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

I recently threw a baby shower for my cousin and was in search for the perfect theme. I happened to be looking at SweetSugarBelle's Facebook page and saw this recipe for a strawberry lemonade cupcake. I thought it was the cutest idea ever and decided to make this the theme of the baby shower. They are the perfect combination of a tangy lemon cupcake with a super sweet strawberry icing with a hint of lemon. My husband who never eats cupcakes ate about 5 of them. The frosting has to be the best part of the whole thing. I ended up taking the left over frosting and putting it on top of brownie bites. It was mighty delicious on those as well.

Recipe- adapted from http://www.thecakeblog.com
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemonade powder mix (I used Country Time)
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)
1 tsp vanilla
lemonheads (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners
2. In medium bowl mix together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, lemonade powder and lemon zest, set aside.
3. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and sugar on medium speed until combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix well.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients and milk, alternating starting and ending with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
7. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
10. Once cupcakes are completely cool, ice with Strawberry Lemon Frosting and garnish with a lemonhead on top.

For the frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 Tbsp strawberry puree (from about 4-6 strawberries)
1 tsp lemon zest

1. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter for 1-2 minutes.
2. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and continue mixing scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Mix in strawberry puree and lemon zest.
4. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with tip 1M to decorate cupcakes.

These cupcakes made such a cute centerpiece on this spinning carousel cupcake stand.