Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Today is the last day of cupcake week. I hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have (be sure to enter in my cupcake giveaway by midnight Aug 28th). I wanted to make something light and summery and when I saw these in my Google Reader earlier this week, I knew they’d fit the bill. Pink lemonade is the perfect summertime beverage. It just doesn’t feel right to drink it any other time of year. And, they’re so darn cute with the pink frosting and pink cake.
For the frosting on these guys, I added an extra two Tbsp of the concentrate and also a couple Tbsp of milk to thin it out. Hubby thought these cupcakes were too sweet because of the frosting, but that’s so something he’d say. I loved them. I was eating the leftover frosting by just piping it onto my finger. It is very sweet, and very good. Although next time, I might use more milk and less of the concentrate to help Hubby’s lack of a sweet tooth!
I am also submitting these as my entry for Flavor of the Month on Bake at 350. This month, the flavor is Pucker Up! (lemon or lime)
Don’t forget to enter in my 2nd blogiversary giveaway by midnight on August 28th!
Check out my week of cupcakes here.
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites
2/3 cup thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/2 cup buttermilk
Pink food coloring
For the Frosting
3 cups + 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp pink lemonade concentrate
Milk to reach desired consistency
Pink food coloring
Directions:
For the Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with liners. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth.
Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.
Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting (see below).
For the Frosting
Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemonade concentrate, and a few drops of food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined.
I wanted to clarify my comments above about the frosting being too sweet. I was silly and added 4 Tbsp of the pink lemonade concentrate to try to thin it out. Then I tasted it and was like what the heck and I doing! I should be adding milk to thin it out. So if you use the recipe as written with the 2 Tbsp, I don't think it will be too sweet. Just use milk to thin in instead of more concentrate like me!
Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.
Recipe from Sweet Cheeks
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
that cake is so beautiful, and sounds delicious!
Wow! Your pictures are amazing! I would love to sink my teeth into that cake right now!
Well…. you’ve done it again! Now, I simply have to add this to my Christmas Eve repetoire. It is fabulous! So many recipes….not enough time!
http://www.simplysweeter.blogspot.com
wow! this look unbelievable. I might have to conquer my fear of baking just for this.
Wow, that is stunning! Nice job!
Whoa..this looks beyond incredible…I dont think my sweet tooth will be satisfied ever without this!
I have to do this for Christmas dessert! Thanks for sharing!
C’est magnifique! Great job!!
Seriously, that looks downright sinful and gorgeous!!! Just amazing Jen!
wow, this is over the top 🙂 but totally worth it!! looks awesome!
What a great combination of flavors! I can almost smell the cake. Yum!!
STUNNING! Good job on this, I want a piece!
…great cake!!! and happy bday to Z!!! Hugs, ciao Flavia
What am amazing cake! I love the bright red and contrasting white, simmply beautiful!
What a beautiful cake! My family would love this. Cheesecake and red velvet are my hubby’s favorites. Maybe I will make it for his birthday!
Talk about impressive! You go!
And just when I think you can’t keep coming up with brilliant ideas and delicious photos…this looks/sounds utterly amazing!
Cheesecake in between the cake layers… OMG. You so outdid yourself. That is amazing!
Wow. I saw a similar cheesecake but couldn’t fint a recipe so resolved to just make “plain ole red velvet cupcakes.” This looks so much better!
Oh My – this looks so amazing!
that looks awesome! I saw something similar in the Sam’s club add that I’ve been wanting to try but homemade would be even better
This cake looks so beautiful and I bet it tastes INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t print it out fast enough – I’m definitely trying it in the new year! Wow!
this has been on my ‘want to try’ list for a while! Maybe this will be the push i need to give it a try!
That cake looks gorgeous and delicious!
This is so cool! The only reason I like red velvet is the cream cheese frosting and this just takes it to a whole new level!
Wow, where to begin?! That bright red is gorgeous! The cheesecake hiding in the center sounds ridiculously delicious! Gorgeous photos too:)
this is a perfect holiday cake! great idea.
What a great idea! I love how the cheesecake layer looks so impressive sandwiched between the shockingly red red velvet layers!
Ok this looks amazing!
Hey girl, I am 100% sure I am going to make this for Christmas…it looks amazing! Just wondering…you used a 9″ springform pan for the cheesecake, right?
Joanne, Sorry for the delay, but yet, I used a springform pan for the cheesecake. I think that’s why it came out a tad bigger than the cake layers. Did you make it for Christmas? How did it turn out?
I made this for Christmas and it was absolutely AMAZING! My family really enjoyed it and I already have thoughts of the other cakes that would be incredible with a layer of cheesecake inbetween. What a great idea!
This looks amazing! I am making 60 red velvet cupcakes for my cousin’s homecoming. I used the red velvet recipe without the cheesecake…AMAZING! The best recipe I have found yet. Thanks, keep it up!