Sweet and tart pink lemonade cupcakes – these cupcakes just scream summer!
A few months back I had a request to do a make-over for pink lemonade cupcakes. The original recipe was totally decadent loaded with butter and buttercream icing and I wasn't sure how I would pull it off. I played around with this one several ways, and this is what I came up with. I chose to keep them naked and simple since they are sweet enough as is. If you like tart and sweet, these cupcakes are for you!
Pink Lemonade Confetti Cupcakes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 24 • Size: 1 cupcake • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 97.4 • Fat: 2.3 g • Carbs: 17.3 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 1.0 g • Sugar: 9.8
Sodium: 103.7 (without salt)
Ingredients:
- 18.25 oz box confetti cake mix, I used Duncan Hines
- 2 1/2 tsp powdered sugar-free pink lemonade mix
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- lemon zest from half of a lemon
- 2 drops pink food coloring (optional)
- confetti sprinkles, optional
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with 24 paper liners.
Stir together the water and pink lemonade powder. Combine the cake mix, pink lemonade mixture, applesauce, lemon zest, food coloring and oil in a large bowl and with an electric mixer, mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans. Add sprinkles if using and bake in the oven for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire racks before serving.
Most definitely will be making these!!!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing! My husband LOVES confetti cake/cookies. He is getting back from an 8 month deployment next Friday. I am going to whip some up for him!
ReplyDelete"powdered sugar-free pink lemonade mix".. do you mean like Crystal Light? (just want to make sure.. I'm dying to make these!)
ReplyDeleteThese are next on my list to make after I make the chocolate chip ricotta muffins. I just made your homemade granola bars and they seriously rock! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them! These new muffins sound amazing. Kind of recipes me of the frozen strawberry lemonade from McDonalds, but in muffin form lol
ReplyDeleteCan this be made with Crystal Light packets?
ReplyDeleteYes, Crystal Light would work, I used a generic brand.
ReplyDeleteHoly. Moly.
ReplyDeletehow fun!! Definitely going on my to-do list :0)
ReplyDeleteGoing to a 'sixties' party; I think these will fit right in! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI know my comment will defeat the purpose of me coming to this blog but those would look soooooo good with frosting. Shame on me!
ReplyDeleteMmm these are so cute and I really love that you left off the frosting, they definitely sound like they can handle on their own!
ReplyDeleteSalvation! Food Network posted Paula Deen's pink lemonade cake on Facebook yesterday and it looked REALLY tempting. I'm sure these will help me get that fix if I need it, without doing too much damage!
ReplyDeleteInstead of using confetti cake mix, would white cake mix work just the same and I could still use the pink food coloring? My family isn't a big fan of the confetti mix.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I'm going to try these out for my daughter's birthday. She's allergic to eggs, and most of the recipes I've found are way too crumbly.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! You literally read my mind today, Gina! I'm having a summer sweet tooth today and this sounds absolutely delish. Can't wait to try it. :)
ReplyDeleteAlthough I only tested this recipe with confetti mix, I think it should work out the same with white mix.
ReplyDeleteAre you using mini cupcake pan or a regular size one?
ReplyDeleteperfection. and only 97 calories?!
ReplyDeleteThese look so summery & delicious, I can't wait to try them!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful.. and look light and tasty. Will be making them for my husband who doesn't like icing.
ReplyDeleteI would never have thought to put lemonade flavor in cupcakes - it sounds so good!
ReplyDeleteYes please, these are so pretty
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I was just searching the web on how to lighten a box of cake mix besides adding a can of diet soda. You saved the day! :)
ReplyDeleteThese are regular sized cupcakes. I would call them mini if I used smaller ones.
ReplyDeleteWhy Just Eat - Never dawned on me either until someone asked me to lighten it.
these look wonderful for a birthday party or baby or wedding shower too!
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing! You made a cupcake with only 97 calories! I'm totally going to make these!
ReplyDeleteYum! This is perfect for the mood I'm in! Thank yous!
ReplyDeleteThose are so cute and perfect for summer! Have you ever tried the WW recipe that uses a box of angel food cake and 1 can of cherry pie filling or pinapple? Also light and summery!
ReplyDeletewww.luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com
Mmm. I've definitely been looking for some recipes to satisfy my sweet cravings now that I am trying to be more careful about my food intake. These are super adorable looking as well.
ReplyDeleteThese look yummy, and so summery! I love confetti cake mix, reminds me of when I was a little kid!
ReplyDeleteDelicious recipe. Tested it on a party last weekend. Everybody loved it.
ReplyDeleteLove these! The confetti really makes these so pretty :)
ReplyDeleteCan I freeze these?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to try this with the soda cake recipe using sprite or 7-up! Another suggestion if someone really wants a bit of frosting is a low-fat cream cheese frosting and add the same pink lemonade crystals and zest to the frosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat about just adding fresh lemon juice, I don't like the artificial sweetners too much, think it would work cause the cake mix is so sweet? I hate to be one of those recipe "changers" I think you are so awesome!!! Pam
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious and yummy....
ReplyDeleteAnd the Confetti looks so cute :)
I know this goes against your grain, but could you reference me to the original recipe you trimmed down? I'm doing a pink lemonade theme for my daughters birthday and have been trying so hard to find a pink lemonade cupcake version. I want to offer the skinny version for the adults and full fat version for the kids!
ReplyDeleteDid you prepare the cake mix as direction or did you omit the eggs?
ReplyDeleteHave these in the oven as we speak! LOVE< LOVE< LOVE this site. A lifesaver for sure!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't use any eggs in this recipe.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the original, I was actually looking at several online just to get an understanding for what it should taste like.
You could try using real lemon juice in place of the pink lemonade if you prefer. It would probably just taste like a lemon cupcake, which I'm sure would be great.
I didn't freeze any but I would assume that would be fine.
Do you think these would be good with ff cool whip or reddi whip?
ReplyDeleteOk....I have a barbeque to go to tomorrow. Would love to try these. The only cake mix I have in the cupboard that would work (other than chocolate) is yellow and lemon. Do you think the lemeon would make it to lemony?? Or maybe omit the lemonade mix?
ReplyDeleteI think you could also just use the lemondaide that does not have sweetner in it ( the kind you would add your own sugar to)
ReplyDeleteShared on FB! They are cooking right now, and can't wait to eat them! :)
ReplyDeleteGina, Thank you SO much for answering my request for this cupcake! It is my favorite, and I couldn't be more excited for this WW option!!!!!!!! YOU are amazing!!!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteFor the person that asked for the original recipe, the one I use all the time is at http://www.ericasweettooth.com/2010/04/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html
It's delicious! (and the decorative straw would be cute for a party)
Gina, again...thank you very very much. My friends will be so very excited to know that the next time I bring my favorite treat to a party it will be WW friendly!
Brittany - thank you SO much for posting the original! I really appreciate being able to offer both versions for my daughter's party!
ReplyDeleteIt baffles me why you would want the skinny version for adults and feed the kids a full fat version...why??? Are the kids less worthy of a healthier option??
ReplyDeleteSo cute! What a fun summer cupcake recipe.
ReplyDeleteMade these today - mmmmm they are good! Thanks Gina!
ReplyDeletehttp://redsie05.blogspot.com/2011/07/pink-lemonade-confetti-cupcakes-ww-3.html
Brittany - sorry it took so long!
ReplyDeleteI actually made a glaze to go on top but didn't use it in the end, I thought they were sweet enough but what I did was mix powdered sugar with a little pink lemonade mix and a little water.
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ReplyDeleteGina I made these on Saturday when I saw the post- it was the perfect light treat to make to bring to a short getaway with friends! everyone was so impressed that they were only 97 calories and I was so happy to have something light for dessert, they were soooooooo good! will definitely be making these a lot this summer! Thanks so much for the recipe =)
ReplyDeleteFor the person who asked why not use the lighter version for kids - I am not the original poster, but I wouldn't use sugar-free sweetener for my daughter (she's only 16 months old), but I would use this recipe with regular lemonade. My daughter is also very small, so she can use the extra fat from regular recipes. Every child is different in their dietary needs.
ReplyDeleteGina, I look forward to making these very soon!!
These look yummy! I'm from the UK and I don't think our supermarkets sell powdered pink lemonade, and I don't want to pay a fortune to import it! Could I just use some pink lemonade soda/juice instead if I cut out the cup of water in your recipe?
ReplyDeleteLauren that should work just fine.
ReplyDeleteI just took them out of the oven. They are AMAZING!!!!! Love them!
ReplyDeleteHow about replacing the pink lemonade mix with the new Margarita that Crystal Light came out with? Yum!
These are SOO GOOD!! Came out perfect. And only 97 cals. Will be making them again.
ReplyDeleteI made these this weekend - THEY ARE AMAZING! Mine have a muffin like texture, so I've kept them in the fridge and enjoy them for breakfast (well, snack too!) This is a great, easy recipe and just the perfect amount of tart. As usual, a great recipe! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteI made these yesterday, but I used SF raspberry-lemonade instead. I didn't have the pink-lemonade on hand. But they still turned out yummy. I will be making these again. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWow, these were amazing! I was concerned they would be too tart, but they were just perfect! They were too tart for my husband, but that means more for me! :-)
ReplyDeleteI made these thew other day and they turned out EXCELLENT!!!!! Loved them! I wasn't sure about lemonade flavored cupcakes, sounded a bit weird, but can't keep my hands out of them! The bottoms of the cupcakes burned in the wrappers and I took it out at 18 minutes. Maybe because I sprayed the cupcake wrappers? I am not very experienced with making cupcakes and the last time I made them, they stuck to the paper and couldn't get them out, so I sprayed them. But other then peeling the thin burnt layer off the bottom, they are great!
ReplyDeleteI usually put my cupcake tin on a cookie sheet to prevent the bottom from burnIng.
ReplyDeleteTHESE ARE AMAZING!!! Even though the bf has a super sweet tooth and is quite picky, he even loved them. Though one should be enough, sometimes two is tasty and I was surprised when I tracked it that two of these are only 5 points+.
ReplyDeleteDelicious! Will definately make again :)
Made something similar to this Saturday for a family cookout. Only I used a yellow cake mix, the crystal light pink lemonaid and 1 cup of diet ginger ale, nothing else. They were YUMMY. Got the idea from seeing these. Only thing is, I forgot to spray the muffin papers, so they stuck to the paper. It was funny seeing everyone eathing them off the paper because they were so good lol.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me if these rise alot? Should I only fill the cups halfway, or 2/3rds? what have been the best ways to do it? :)
ReplyDeleteMade these for a girl's weekend at the beach. They were a huge hit and everyone asked for the recipe! Yum!
ReplyDeleteNice recipe! I way browsing for cupcake recipes cause I got to bake a big quantity and I want to bake different kinds!From the pictures I can relate to Agnes from "Despicable me" and say that "They're so fluffy!!"
ReplyDeleteI am not the biggest cupcake afficionado however these were incredibly light, fluffy and very tasty, the pink lemonade flavor was a tangy surprise!!! Perfect serving size!! Loved it!!
ReplyDeleteI made them with confetti angel food mix and they are SO light and fluffy. Great recipe, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI loved all his works. It's like an art, I also make cupcakes. Not only that, working with artistic and sweet cakes. Congratulations, all are magnificent with lots of creativity!
ReplyDeleteLove the confetti design. I think this is perfect for a surprise party or any birthday party. Kids will surely love this colorful cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteI just made them!! and OMG there soooo goood :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I did wrong, but I baked mine for 29 minutes and they were still gummy in the center. :(
ReplyDeleteThat's strange! Not sure, this recipe couldn't be easier, maybe your oven requires more time?
ReplyDeleteI made these yesterday...I followed the recipe but excluded the food coloring...and mistakenly forgot the lemon zest. oops...but they were tart enough and were quite yummy. I checked them at about 20 minutes and a knife came out clean but mine were kinda gummy in the middle also. They weren't light and fluffy...but more dense and heavier in the middle. They were good but I wondered what I did wrong too...thought maybe it was the applesauce. I used Crystal Light Pink Lemonade powder and the Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix. They didn't have the other brand. My mix only made 12 instead of 24 and they came out the size of an average cup cake. I will make them again and remember the lemon zest this time. ;) Thanks Gina! You are awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou know what, I also used the Pillsbury Funfetti mix, and I just looked at another box that I have here at home and it says 18.91 oz. This recipe says 18.25. I wonder if thats why mine came out gummy?
ReplyDeleteIt must have something to do with the brand you used. Not sure why, I would try it with Duncan Hines next time.
ReplyDeleteI just made these for my sister's baby shower (It's a girl!) and they were a huge hit with everyone! Thank you so much for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWould it change the points if I subbed the oil for more applesauce? And would that work with the cupcakes? Also anyone try this with cream cheese frosting?
ReplyDeleteanon, t worked best for me the way I posted it. I tried this at least 5 times before I posted.
ReplyDeleteThese look yummy but are not vegan as the cake mix is not vegan. Just wanted to let you know.
ReplyDeleteAwesome site!!
Thanks for pointing that out!
ReplyDeleteposted as a vegan item, however the cake mix you have used is not vegan as it contans milk.
ReplyDeleteHow long will these keep? Can I make them the day before?.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care much for them. Too much tart for me I guess. They did smell good cooking.
ReplyDeleteTried this with Angel food cake mix and it was great! I overcooked mine a little and they got a little brown, but still tasted pretty good! Plus, the Angel food is fat free! So it lowered my weight watchers points even more! I'm gonna try it again with regular lemonade instead of Pink, the pink was a little tart for my liking. Thanks for the recipe!
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