Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling

These Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling are like the bright summer sunshine in a bite! This flavor combination always reminds me of hosting my lemonade stands in the summertime. Our neighbors couldn't walk by without buying a cup, and if there was strawberry lemonade, they were very happy customers! These strawberry lemon cupcakes are an ode to the sweet flavors of summer.

A fluffy lemon cupcake with strawberry filling and frosting.

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This recipe is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir. Their whole milk kefir makes these cupcakes extra fluffy and moist. Plus, they have a lemon-flavored kefir that enhances the citrus notes in this recipe!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions & Variations
Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Storage
More Recipes You'll Love
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Why You'll Love This Recipe

With lemon and strawberry used in multiple ways, these cupcakes are bursting with flavor in every bite!
It's a super simple recipe with only 6 steps to delicious strawberry filled and frosted cupcakes.
Lifeway organic kefir is used in this recipe and it's full of healthy probiotics, protein and calcium. It's also lactose intolerance friendly!
It's a great recipe to take advantage of fresh summer produce, like my Lemon Zucchini Cupcakes!
You can make these tasty cupcakes from scratch in about an hour!
With a bright lemon flavor, fresh strawberry filling, and strawberry lemon buttercream, this cupcake recipe is fruity, zesty, and has the perfect balance of flavors!

Ingredients

Lemon zest - used in both the cake batter and the buttercream frosting, this is the key ingredient to get the citrusy flavor throughout these lemon cupcakes. Make sure to wash your lemons before zesting, and use a microplane for the finest zest.
Whole milk kefir - this is a cultured, fermented milk product similar to thin yogurt. It will help keep your cupcakes moist and fluffy. Lifeway kefir is my favorite brand, which has plain and lemon flavors that are perfect for this recipe. It can be found in the dairy section of most grocery stores.
Strawberries - fresh, in-season strawberries are preferable here but you can substitute frozen, thawed strawberries as well if it's not strawberry season.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitute fresh raspberries for strawberries to make a tart lemon raspberry version of this easy lemon cupcake recipe.
Swap out lime for the lemon for a virgin strawberry margarita version of these cupcakes.
If you can't find kefir, substitute buttermilk, whole milk yogurt, or slightly watered down Greek yogurt instead.
For a simplified version, swap your favorite strawberry jam for the fresh strawberry filling.
Try a muffin version of these cupcakes by making my Lemon Raspberry Muffins with strawberries as the main berry ingredient!

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

Step by Step Instructions

Whisking dry cupcake ingredients in a bowl.

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

Butter, sugar, lemon zest, eggs and vanilla extract mixed together in a bowl.

Step 2: In a large bowl, cream softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add in the whole egg, egg white, and vanilla extract and mix for 1 to 2 minutes.

Lemon cupcake batter in a bowl with a spatula.

Step 3: Alternating between the dry ingredients and kefir, stir them into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Cupcake liners in a pan filled with lemon cupcake batter.

Step 4: Fill 12 cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full with cupcake batter. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out of the center clean (about 18-20 minutes). Let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cupcakes with their centers cut out and filled with sweetened strawberries.

Step 5: To make the strawberry filling, add strawberries and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse for 1-2 quick bursts. Or, you can chop the strawberries into very small pieces and mix them with the sugar. Set aside a tablespoon for the frosting. Then, cut out the centers of the cooled cupcakes (about ⅔ of the way down), and fill with the strawberry filling. Place the top of the cupcake cut-out on the filling (optional).

Piping lemon strawberry buttercream on lemon cupcakes using a star piping tip.

Step 6: To make the frosting recipe, mix softened butter, lemon zest, strawberry filling, and powdered sugar until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Transfer to a piping bag and frost the top of each cupcake. I used a large star piping tip.

Expert Tips

Tip #1: Alternating the dry and wet ingredients allows everything to incorporate evenly without over mixing the batter which can result in a dense, bready cupcake. This method along with the whole milk kefir helps ensure a fluffy, tender crumb in your moist lemon cupcakes.

Tip #2: If you are using frozen strawberries, allow them to thaw completely, and then strain the strawberries to remove as much residual juice as possible. This will help create a similar consistency to using fresh strawberries and will keep your cupcakes from getting soggy.

Tip #3: Wait until the cupcakes have cooled completely before cutting out the centers and frosting them! Warm cupcakes will be too crumbly to cut into and melt the frosting.

Tip #4: To frost your strawberry filled cupcakes without a piping bag, you can fill a gallon Ziploc bag with the frosting and snip a hole in the corner to pipe the frosting or use a butter knife to frost each lemon strawberry cupcake.

Recipe FAQs

How do I cut out the cupcake centers?

Once they've cooled completely, take a corer or small knife and carefully cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Be careful not to cut all the way through the bottom of the cupcake!

Can I put the filling in the cupcakes before baking?

No, this filling uses fresh strawberries and should be added to cupcakes once baked and cooled.

Can I substitute fresh lemon juice for the lemon zest?

No. Lemon juice alters the consistency because it is a liquid and also carries less lemon flavor than the lemon zest.

How do I prevent dry cupcakes?

Be sure to use whole milk kefir rather than low fat, use a scale to accurately measure the flour, and don't over-bake them.

Will these cupcakes hold up in the heat?

I don't recommend leaving these out on a hot day because the frosting may get melty and slip off the tops. If you're serving these where it's above 80°F, they're best stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Strawberry lemon cupcakes on a wire rack with a bottle of Lifeway kefir.

Storage

Refrigerator

Store the frosted lemon cupcakes with strawberry filling in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing Instructions

Store the cooled, unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes wrapped in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before filling, frosting, and serving.