Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Butterfly Toppers

Today I am sharing a cute summertime treat with y’all: Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Butterfly Toppers.

Let me be honest, I haven’t made many specific gluten free items on the blog.

However, more and more people I know are gluten sensitive or suffer from celiac disease so I wanted to make an easy cake recipe that they can enjoy at our pool party this weekend. Cupcakes are always a hit with the kids, and much easier to eat than a slice of cake, so I decided to make gluten free cupcakes. I love fruit flavored anything in the summer so for this recipe I was inspired by my favorite summer drink, Strawberry Lemonade. These flavorful lemon cupcakes are topped with a creamy strawberry frosting and to make it even more fun I made strawberry butterflies to go on top!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.

Comment below with your favorite gluten free recipe.

Be sure to scroll down for a HUGE GIVEAWAY!

Ingredients:

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 box Gluten Free Yellow Cupcake Mix {I used Betty Crocker}
3 eggs
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup water
juice and zest from one large lemon
7 large strawberries, destemmed

For the frosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened and cubed {2 sticks}

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• ¼ cup strawberries, destemmed, sliced, and pureed until smooth

Directions:

Prepare batter according to the box directions.
Mix in juice and zest from one large lemon.
Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and fill each 2/3 full.
Bake according to the box directions {350 for 20 minutes}.
Remove from oven and let cool then remove to a plate.
Frost generously with the strawberry frosting and then top each cupcake with a strawberry butterfly {directions below}.
Serve right away or refrigerate until party time!

For the frosting:

Make the strawberry puree by simply blending the chopped strawberries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Add softened butter, powdered sugar, and 1/4 cup strawberry puree to a large bowl. Beat on medium speed with a mixer until you get a smooth consistency.
Refrigerate until ready to frost cupcakes.

For the strawberry butterflies:

Thinly slice 7 large strawberries.
Cut the bottom corner off of 24 slices.
Cut thin strips out of a few other slices. You will need 12.
Place a strip in the center top of each cupcake.
Add a slice on each side to make butterfly wings.
Now you have beautiful butterfly strawberries ready to go on top of your frosted cupcakes!

I wanted to make gluten free cupcakes for this party so I used Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix and added my own lemon juice and zest.

To make the batter: follow the box directions. Mine called for 3 eggs, 1/2 cup butter {1 stick}, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2/3 cup water.

Add it all to a bowl and beat over medium speed with a mixer until combined.

Look at that goofy grin!

Ava sure is a great helper in the kitchen!

You need a large lemon for this recipe {or 2 small}.

Add all the lemon zest into the batter.

Then squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon.

Now mix together on low speed until combined.

Pour into a lined cupcake tin, filling about 2/3 {or ok maybe a little more} full.

Bake according to the box directions. I baked my cupcakes at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Set out to cool completely before frosting.

Now time for some strawberry fun!

I use about 1 pint total for the frosting and butterflies.

To puree your strawberries simply add a handful to a blender and blend until smooth.

For the frosting: add 3 cups powdered sugar to a large bowl.

Add 1 cup butter {2 sticks} to the bowl.

*I love kitchen hacks and this is one trick that has saved me a lot of time when baking!

If you forget to take your butter out to soften {guilty}, this trick will soften butter in minutes.

Simply fill a glass with water and microwave for 1 minute. Dump the water out then place the glass upside down over the butter {stack to fit}. Your butter will “steam” and soften but not melt!

Now add 1/4 cup of strawberry puree to the sugar and butter.

Blend until it is smooth and frosting consistency.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost generously with the strawberry frosting.

Now for the butterfly strawberries.

Thinly slice 7 large strawberries.

Cut the bottom corner off of 24 slices.

Cut thin strips out of a few other slices. You will need 12.

Place a strip in the center top of each cupcake.

Add a slice on each side to make butterfly wings.

Top each cupcake with a strawberry butterfly.

These cute little cakes tasted fantastic, although slightly denser than a traditional cupcakes.

My family didn’t seem to notice as they gobbled them up in record time! Ava even said, “Mom, these are super yummy!”. That folks, is all I needed to make my day!