Stimuli

Pink. It's not just a singer with a sassy attitude and flamboyant style. It's also the colour that fills my mind when I think of Valentine's Day. Swirls of colour — shades of pink and red, pretty and girly in a heart-shaped package.

I wanted to make the quintessential pink cupcake — pink cake, pink frosting, pink flavour! I found these Pink Lemonade Cupcakes here and tweaked them a little to make them even more pink and lemonadey. I decorated them with heart-shaped confetti sprinkles and pink sanding sugar. The pink lemonade is tart and sweet and rich, all at the same time. The cupcakes would be perfect for a bridal shower, or refreshing at a summer picnic. I hope you like them!
 

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Based on a recipe by Cast Sugar
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 egg whites
• 3/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• Red food colouring

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
• In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites, pink lemonade concentrate and vanilla until well blended.
• Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture; whisk until blended.
• Add half the buttermilk, whisk until blended.
• Continue alternately adding flour mixture and buttermilk until everything is mixed together. Do not over mix.
• Add food colouring, one drop at a time, until you get a nice pink colour.
• Pour batter into paper cupcake cups in a muffin pan so that the cups is about 3/4 full of batter.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting with Pink Lemonade Buttercream (recipe below).

Pink Lemonade Buttercream
Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 6 tablespoons frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Water, if needed
• Red food colouring

Method

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium high speed until pale and fluffy.
• Add icing sugar, vanilla and pink lemonade concentrate and beat on low speed until completely mixed together. If the icing is still too thick, add water one teaspoon at a time, beating after each addition, until you get a spreadable consistency.
• Add food colouring, a drop at a time, beating after each addition, until you get a pink colour you like.
• Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.

by Linda Horn
Blogger at Let Them Eat Cake & Ice Cream and Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Follow Linda on Twitter at @luluhorn