Vanilla Cupcakes With Pink Lemonade Frosting

**Cupcakes***
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup milk
***Pink Lemonade Frosting***
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest
2 drops red food coloring, or as needed for pink color

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl, beat in vanilla.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl to assure the batter is thoroughly mixed.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling papers about 2/3 full. Bake on the center rack of the oven until tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Pink Lemonade Frosting: Beat butter in a mixing bowl until it is fluffy. Add 2 c. of the powdered sugar gradually, beating constantly.

Slowly beat in lemon juice, lemon peel, vanilla and food coloring. Slowly beat in the rest of the powdered sugar. Add additional food color if desired. If necessary, add a little more lemon juice if frosting is not spreadable.

From KDKitchen

Image via simple up/Flickr