lemon cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting

I needed a break from chocolate, a little palate cleanser, if you will. Something light and refreshing, not too heavy. So I decided on a lemon strawberry combo because nothing says light and refreshing like lemon and strawberry. And with cream cheese frosting? I mean, come on. These cupcakes have a subtle lemon flavor. The strawberry cream cheese is sweet and creamy and the two together make the perfect bite. 

These are easy cupcakes to pull together too, because I don't mess with complicated these days. So if you are a fan of lemon and strawberry and need a little summer treat, then give these a try. 

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Cupcakes Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

juice from 2 lemons plus the zest

Cupcake Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with liners. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium high speed until creamed. Scrape down the bowl then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium high again until combined.

3. In separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, mixing until just combined after each.

4. Add the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and then mix again until just combined. Careful not to overmix.

5. Fill each liner about 2/3 full. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven, completely cool before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup mashed/drained fresh strawberries

Frosting Directions

1. In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium high for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

2. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time up to 3 cups. Beat until just combined each time. After 3 cups, taste test and add more if you think it needed to be a little sweeter.

3. For the strawberries, slice up the strawberries and place in a tall cup. Then take a wooden spoon and mash them all up until they are nice and pulp like.

4. Add the strawberries and vanilla to the mix and then beat on low until all combined. If the frosting is too thin, then add some more powdered sugar until desired consistency.

5. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Add lemon or strawberry slices to decorate. Enjoy that first bite of moist cupcake with the creamy frosting, it;s so good!!