Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Lemonade stands are just the cutest! Little kids make up pitchers of really watery stuff and sell it for 10 cents a cup...I like stopping at them, even thought the lemonade is hardly ever good, it usually makes the kid's day. What a fun alternative to selling barely-flavored pink water?! These cupcakes are so cute and pretty, with just enough lemon in both the cupcake and the frosting to make up for whatever the lemonade was lacking. Try selling these at your local lemonade stand instead; I'm sure they will be a hit!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Yields 24

Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/4 cup almond milk

4 egg whites

lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter substitute

1 tsp vanilla

lemon juice from half of a lemon


Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp pink lemonade powder
1 tsp vanilla
15 drops red food coloring

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk and egg whites; set aside.

In a large bowl, use your {clean!!!} fingers to mix together the sugar and lemon zest. Mix until the sugar seems slightly damp and tinted a very very light yellow. 

Add the butter substitute and beat with an electric mixer until all of the sugar is combined, then add the vanilla and lemon juice.

While still beating, alternate adding half of the flour mixture, then half of the egg white/almond milk mixture until they are both completely combined. 

Fill cupcake cups halfway, and bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes.

For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and the butter until they are smooth and fluffy {about 3 minutes}. If you soften your butter before hand it will make this easier.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the confectioner's sugar and the pink lemonade powder. Lumps of the powdered sugar {probably due to humidity}, can just be pressed through the mesh. 

Beat the powdered sugar/lemonade mix into the butter and cream cheese a cup at a time until it is completely mixed in. Add the vanilla and food coloring, and beat together until combined. 

Pipe with a closed star tip, and decorate with pretty little things as desired.

We had these ADORABLE little paper straws left over from a party, and they matched my theme so perfectly, I just had to use them! Enjoy!

                               xoxo,

                                     Emily