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Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

These Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert! Combine cake mix with powdered pink lemonade to make these quick and easy cupcakes with just a few minutes of prep work.

And when you top your cupcakes with a refreshing pink lemonade buttercream, you have an amazing dessert that’s sure to be a hit at any summer celebration.

Three Pink Lemonade Cupcakes on white serving plate.

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Why You Will Love These Cupcakes

  • Makes 24 Cupcakes - Makes plenty for any party or family get together.
  • Easy To Make - Starts with a cake mix to save time and it's the perfect semi-homemade cupcake every one will love.
  • Perfect Flavor Combo - These cupcakes are a delicious balance of sweetness and tangy lemonade flavor.
  • Simple Ingredients - Nothing complicated here. Simple ingredients are all you need to make these pretty and delicious cupcakes.

These cupcakes bake up with a pretty pink tint and are sure to impress your family and guests.

But just because they look amazing doesn’t mean they have to be difficult to prepare. In fact, you are not going to believe how easy it is to make these semi-homemade cupcakes!

Cupcakes are such an easy dessert to make. A few of our favorites include these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes, Mocha Cupcakes and Banana Pudding Cupcakes.

And for more Pink Lemonade desserts try these Pink Lemonade Cookies and this No Bake Pink Lemonade Pie.

Cupcake Topping Options

The pretty pink frosting is only the beginning when it comes to decorating these cute cupcakes! There are so many fun ways to serve your pink cupcakes at your next party! Try these decorating ideas to add your own personal touch to your recipe:

  • Sprinkles. Top the cupcakes with pink, yellow, or rainbow sprinkles.
  • Paper straws. Give them a lemonade look by adding pink or yellow paper straws (cut into thirds) to the top of each cupcake.
  • Lemon slices. Enhance the lemon flavor by placing a fresh slice of lemon or lemon wedge on top of each cupcake.
  • Cupcake wrappers. Decorate the bottom of your cupcake with a fun cupcake wrapper.

Ingredients

See printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

Ingredients for Cupcakes set out on counter.
  • White cake mix (plus the ingredients to prepare it)
  • Pink lemonade mix
  • Lemon extract
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk

How To Make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

The first step is to prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions. Follow the recipe on the box up until you’re ready to pour the cake batter into the pan. At that point, mix the pink lemonade powder and lemon extract into the batter.

Cake Mix Batter in white mixing bowl.
Pink lemonade powder added to cake mix batter in white mixing bowl.

Optional: You can add a couple drops of food coloring to the batter if you want your cupcakes to be bright pink. Start by adding one to two drops of red food coloring, the mixing the tint into the batter. Continue adding more food coloring one drop at a time until your desired shade of pink has been reached. You can use dye-free food coloring.

Next spoon the cake batter into the cupcake pan and bake according to the instructions on the cake mix box. Once the cupcakes are finished baking, transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely before you start decorating.

Cake batter in lined cupcake pan.
Cupcakes cooling on wire rack.

When your cupcakes are cool, prepare the pink lemonade buttercream by beating together the softened butter, powdered sugar, pink lemonade mix, and two tablespoons of milk. Continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. If it’s too thick, add more milk one teaspoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.

You can also add food coloring to the frosting to give it a brighter pink color if you want. Start with one drop of red food coloring, then add more, if needed, until you’re happy with the shade of pink.

After you’re satisfied with the color and consistency of your icing, pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake using a star tip.

Three Pink Lemonade Cupcakes on white serving platter next to glass of pink lemonade drink.

Recipe Tips

  • This recipe makes 24 cupcakes. I use two 12-cup muffin/cupcake pans. I recommend only cooking one pan at a time.
  • Make sure to equally divide the batter between the cupcake tins so they bake evenly.
  • If you want your cupcakes to be bright pink you can add a couple of drops red food coloring to the cake batter. You can also add a drop or two of food coloring to the frosting to give it a brighter pink color if you want to. (You can use dye-free food coloring.)

Recipe FAQs

How Do I Store The Cupcakes?

When your cupcakes are cooled and decorated, you can store them at room temperature until you’re ready to serve them. Transfer the leftover cupcakes to an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place. The cupcakes will last for three days when stored properly.

Can I Make These Cupcakes Ahead of Time?

You can make your cupcakes up to one day ahead. If you plan to bake your treats ahead of time, I would suggest waiting until the day of serving to add the buttercream frosting. This will ensure the frosting tastes great and keeps it shape during the party.

Can I Make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes from Scratch?

Using a boxed cake mix is a great way to speed up the prep work on your cupcakes. But if you prefer to serve homemade treats at your next get-together, you can easily adjust this dessert using your favorite white cake recipe.

Prepare the white cake batter according to the recipe instructions, replacing the vanilla extract with lemon extract. Then, add the pink lemonade powder to the batter and stir to mix. After that, follow the instructions for baking the cupcakes according to your recipe.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes on white plate with lemon slices.

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Three Pink Lemonade Cupcakes on white serving plate.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Author: Judy Wilson
These Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are the perfect summer treat! Combine cake mix with powdered lemonade to make these quick and easy cupcakes with just a few minutes of prep work.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 226 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box white cake mix, prepared
  • ¼ cup pink lemonade drink mix
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Frosting Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons pink lemonade drink mix
  • 3 to 4 Tablespoons milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan by lining with cupcake liners.
  • Make the cake mix according to the instructions on the package. Then add the pink lemonade drink mix and lemon extract to the bowl with the batter. Beat to combine until the mix is well blended into the batter.
  • Equally spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and bake according to the instructions on the cake mix box.
  • When the cupcakes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Then prepare the icing by beating together the butter, powdered sugar, pink lemonade, and 3 tablespoons milk. Add more milk to the icing, as needed, until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Use a star tip to pipe the icing on top of each cupcake and serve.

Notes

To Store transfer the cupcakes to an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place. The cupcakes will last for three days when stored properly.
Optional Steps: You can add a couple of drops red food coloring to the cake batter if you want your cupcakes to be bright pink. You can also add a drop of food coloring to the frosting to give it a brighter pink color if you want to. (You can use dye-free food coloring.)

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 23mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 122IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 0.4mg
The nutritional information provided is approximate and should only be used as a general guideline. It is an estimate that will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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