Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Cupcakes are cute but Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes are the cutest. Made with fresh, jammy strawberries that get folded into simple lemony, vanilla mini cupcakes . To finish, they are topped with a smooth and airy, soft pink strawberry cream cheese frosting.

9th birthdays are a big deal. It's the last year in your single digit-dom and it marks the start of the transition from kid-hood to young adulthood. My fancy pal, Ruby Kai, turned 9 this past weekend and her birthday party was straight out of a Martha Stewart magazine. With elegant linens, an astutely set table, lovingly sculpted floral arrangements and these Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes. It was a tea party fit for royalty.

These these Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes are party ready

Ruby and her mom, my beautiful friend Heather, went all out and pinkies up with this party. Leaving no detail left un-frilled. So when Heather asked if I could provide some baked goods for the posh party, I was delighted and knew these Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes would fit right in with the fancy fete.

More strawberry recipe inspiration

A little bird told me that Ruby is a strawberry fan, which is good news because here in Santa Barbara those itty-bitty, jammy strawberries just started popping up in early April. I picked up a few pints of those ruby jewel strawberries at the Farmers Market. Naturally, I decided the best way to incorporate them into the Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes was to keep them fresh and just toss them into the batter.

These Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes use simple ingredients with complimentary flavors

Lemon and strawberries are a natural pairing. The brightness of the zesty lemon enhances the natural sweetness of the strawberries. Together they bring out the best in each other. This cupcake recipes uses both fresh and freeze dried strawberries for maximum strawberry flavor.

• Fresh strawberries are finely chopped strawberries are folded into the batter for a gentle kiss of spring sweetness. Tip: chop the strawberries small, then lay them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
• Freeze dried strawberries bring a concentrated strawberry flavor to the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Lemon zest and juice add a scent of lemony freshness to the tender mini cupcakes.
• Vanilla layers in warm baking notes complimenting the bright and fruity flavors.

Tips for mixing the Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcake batter

• Anytime I make cakes or cupcakes, I sift the dry ingredients together. This helps mix the ingredients together and aerates, creating more loft when the cupcakes bake.
• Whisk the lemon zest in with the dry ingredients to keep it from clumping together and evenly distributes the zest throughout the batter. Alternatively, you can blend citrus zest into the sugar by squishing it inbetween your fingers. This is a lovely way to incorporate the citrus notes in with the sweetness and perfume the cake with flavor.
• Folding the batter by hand is a solid way to keep from over-mixing the batter, translating to light and airy cupcakes.
• The final step to mixing the batter is to carefully fold in the strawberries. Keep a light touch and just barely mix in the berries so you don't break them up and cause them to bleed into the batter.

• Use a cookie scoop to neatly and evenly fill the cupcake liners with the cake batter.
• Just fill the liners about ¾ full for perfectly domed cupcakes.
• Once baked, the cupcakes should just barely dome and peek over the top of the cupcakes liners.

Freeze dried berries are a natural food coloring and strawberry flavoring power move

I first used this tried and true method to flavor and color the cream cheese frosting on my Big Pink Cookies recipe and it's been my go-to ever since. I simply use a mortar and pestle to crush up the freeze dried strawberries. Then sift them in with the powdered sugar. Finally, blend into the cream cheese frosting for a concentrated strawberry flavor and beautifully soft, naturally pink color.

How to make strawberry cream cheese cheese frosting

The smooth strawberry cream cheese frosting tops charmingly perch atop the Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes and look as delightful as they taste. The itty bitty cupcakes have a light and airy texture that politely pairs with the fluffy, strawberry cream cheese frosting floating on top like festive mini circus tents. How cute is that?!

Pipe the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting onto the mini cupcakes using a medium sized open star tip

Really whatever piping method you want to use works for decorating these cupcakes. I like using a medium sized open star tip to pipe the little star dollops on these mini cupcakes. The fluted peaks remind me of little circus tents and this method is super simple. Just hold the piping bag above the cupcake, give it a gentle squeeze until you've piped out a chubby dollop and pull up as you stop squeezing the piping bag.

These Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes are what springtime birthday celebrations are all about; bursting with bright, sweet flavor and blooming with beauty. Whether you are turning 9 or 90, these Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes are fit for royalty at any age. 

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Recipe

I partnered up with a big bunch of talented blogger pals this spring to bring you all kinds of strawberry recipe inspiration.

Check out all of the beautiful and delish #strawberriesarethejam recipes from our blogging super group below!

Square Meal Round Table’s Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Pavlova
The Cooking of Joy’s Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart
This Healthy Table’s Strawberry Tahini Shortcake
Flours in Your Hair’s Strawberry Milk Donuts
The Wood and Spoon’s Strawberry Icebox Pie
Smart in the Kitchen’s Rustic Strawberry Galette
The Herb and Spoon’s Strawberry-Jam Filled Brioche Donuts
Better with Biscuit’s Strawberry Cobbler
My Kitchen Love’s Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
Sift and Simmer’s Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake
What Great Grandma Ate’s No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
A Modest Feast’s Greek Yogurt With Crispy Quinoa and Roasted Strawberries
Hola Jalapeno’s Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita
Worthy Pause’s Strawberry-Basil Shrub Cocktail
Hot Dishing It Out’s Panna Cotta with Strawberry Jelly
Figs & Flour’s Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Apricot Salsa
Pie Girl Bakes’ Strawberry Ginger Pie
Crumb Top Baking’s Strawberry Chia Jam Oat Bars
The Gourmandise School’s Strawberry Pistachio Salad
Tiny Kitchen Caper’s Strawberries and Cream Pound Cake
Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Ganache
Something New For Dinner’s Watermelon, Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Burrata
A Spicy Perspective’s Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake
Easy and Delish’s Strawberry Brigadeiros
Plays Well with Butter’s Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese, Grilled Chicken, & Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Katherine in Brooklyn’s Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream
Sugar Salt Magic’s Strawberry Mousse Tart
The Healthy Sins’ Coconut Flour Crepes Topped with Fresh Strawberries and Coconut Yogurt
Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Strawberry Basil No Churn Ice Cream
Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Strawberry Basil Turnovers
Bavette Meat & Provisions’ Pickled Green Strawberries
Rezel Kealoha’s Apple Cider Rose Poached Strawberries with Thyme Flowers
Made from Scratch’s Roasted Strawberry and Basil Ice Cream
Eat Cho Food’s Strawberry Basil Glazed Donuts
What’s Karen Cooking’s Strawberry Eton Mess
More Icing Than Cake’s Strawberry, Balsamic & Black Pepper Babka
Well Seasoned Studio’s Classic Vanilla Layer Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream and Fresh Strawberries
Farm & Coast Cookery’s Strawberry & Thyme Shortcake
Marianne Cooks’ Strawberry Madeleines
Clean Plate Club’s Mini Strawberry Bundt Cakes with Lemon Glaze
My Berkeley Kitchen’s Strawberry Kale Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
The Cinnaman’s Rose Hibiscus Strawberry Icebox Pie
Prickly Fresh’s Strawberry Burrata Kale Salad with Pistachio & Lemon Vinaigrette
Maren Ellingboe’s Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cream & Strawberries
Fufu’s Kitchen’s Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
What Annie’s Eating’s Vegan Strawberry + Basil Ice Cream
Katie Bird Bakes’ Strawberry Crumble Bars
Cosette’s Kitchen’s Strawberry Shortcake
Blossom to Stem’s Strawberry Pavlova with Mezcal and Lime
Babby Girl Yum’s Strawberry Spinach Almond Salad
It’s a Veg World After All’s Butter Lettuce Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Le Petite Eats’ Strawberry Orange Blossom Tartlets
Cooking with Cocktail Ring’s Basil Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake
Ful-Filled’s Lilac Sugar Strawberry Shortcakes with Greek Yogurt Whipped Cream
The College Housewife: Mixed Berry Whiskey Crisp
Frosting and Fettuccine’s Strawberry Basil Layer Cake with Strawberry Simple Syrup
Zestful Kitchen’s Strawberry & Pine Nut Brittle Salad

Flotte Lotte’s Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Rumbly Tumbly’s Strawberry Scones
A Small Kitchen in Genoa’s Italian Riviera Strawberries Salad
Reencontrándome con la Cocina’s Chocolate Meringue with White Chocolate Mousse and Strawberries
Just Date Syrup’s Strawberry Date Syrup Oat Crumble
Well Fed Soul’s Strawberry Almond Mascarpone Cake
Food Solutions’ Strawberry Soup (Savory and Sweet)
Champagne and Cookies’ Strawberry & Sesame Whole Wheat Pop Tarts with Strawberry Tahini Glaze
Annie Campbell’s Strawberry Pavlova
An Amazing Appetite’s Vanilla Strawberry Tart
Cocoa and Salt’s Strawberry Pistachio Tart
No More Mr. Nice Pie’s Fresh Strawberry Pie