Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3/4 cup pink lemonade frozen concentrate, thawed
• 5 tablespoons water
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Several drops of pink gel food coloring, optional

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 5-6 tablespoons pink lemonade frozen concentrate, thawed
• A few drops of pink gel food coloring, optional

Garnish Suggestions:

• Lemon jelly candy slices
• Pink-and-yellow-striped paper straws
• Pink and yellow jimmies, or rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. Add the cake mix, defrosted lemonade concentrate, water, eggs, and vegetable oil to a mixing bowl. If using gel food coloring, add a few drops in. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full.
4. Bake 15–18 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer is fine.
5. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes in the cupcake tin, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar then add in 5 tablespoons of the defrosted lemonade concentrate, the salt, and pink gel food coloring if using. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. If the frosting is too stiff, add additional defrosted lemonade concentrate, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
2. With a large star tip, pipe swirls of buttercream over completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with lemon jelly candy slices, decorative paper straws, or pink and yellow jimmies, or rainbow sprinkles.