It is almost Spring Break time which means my normally sleepy little Florida beach town will get inundated with visitors – “spirited” college students will wander the streets, alabaster-skinned families from Minnesota will turn bright red on our beaches and most importantly, my g-kids arrive!

Whenever the g-kids come they always cook up ideas for money-making ventures and inevitably they want to have a lemonade stand. Unfortunately all attempts at selling glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade for 50 cents have been fiscal failures. What has been successful for them is baking gluten-free baked goods and selling them at business offices. So this year I thought of a way I could help them combine both – Gluten Free Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!

The cupcakes are light as air, the frosting sweet and pink and overall these gluten-free cupcakes are just as cute as could be – topped with a sugared lemon slice and a bright red maraschino cherry.

So, would you pay an adorable kid 50 cents for one of these treats?

5 from 2 votes Print Recipe Gluten Free Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 1 hr Total Time 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 12 cupcakes Calories: 289 kcal Author: Carol Kicinski Ingredients Cupcakes 3 large eggs 3 large eggs

1 large lemon 1 large lemon

¾ cup sugar – use divided ¾ cup sugar – use divided

½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

2/3 cup gluten-free flour 2/3 cup gluten-free flour Frosting 1 lemon 1 lemon

¼ cup unsalted butter - at room temperature ¼ cup unsalted butter - at room temperature

Small pinch of kosher or fine sea salt Small pinch of kosher or fine sea salt

3 cups powdered sugar - measured then sifted 3 cups powdered sugar - measured then sifted

2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice Garnish 1 lemon 1 lemon

½ cup sugar plus more for coating the lemon slices ½ cup sugar plus more for coating the lemon slices

½ cup water ½ cup water

12 maraschino cherries with stems - patted dry 12 maraschino cherries with stems - patted dry Instructions Cupcakes Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks putting each into a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg yolks in a mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, on high speed for 5 minutes or until they are lemony yellow in color. Separate the egg whites from the yolks putting each into a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg yolks in a mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, on high speed for 5 minutes or until they are lemony yellow in color.

Zest the lemon then squeeze the juice. You should have ¼ cup of lemon juice, if not add a little water to make ¼ cup total. Add the lemon zest, juice and salt to the egg yolks. Mix to combine. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add ½ cup of sugar. Beat the mixture on medium speed for 4 minutes or until the mixture has doubled in volume. Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour. Mix until just combined. Zest the lemon then squeeze the juice. You should have ¼ cup of lemon juice, if not add a little water to make ¼ cup total. Add the lemon zest, juice and salt to the egg yolks. Mix to combine. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add ½ cup of sugar. Beat the mixture on medium speed for 4 minutes or until the mixture has doubled in volume. Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour. Mix until just combined.

Beat the egg whites on high speed with the whisk attachment until foamy. Gradually add in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Continue to beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Fold half of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture then fold in the remaining whites. Fold until the mixture is no longer streaky. Put the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and spring back slightly when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Beat the egg whites on high speed with the whisk attachment until foamy. Gradually add in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Continue to beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Fold half of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture then fold in the remaining whites. Fold until the mixture is no longer streaky. Put the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and spring back slightly when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Frosting Zest and juice the lemon – you should have approximately ¼ cup of lemon juice. Zest and juice the lemon – you should have approximately ¼ cup of lemon juice.

Beat the butter in a mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, until creamy. Add the lemon juice, salt, 1 cup of powdered sugar and the maraschino cherry juice. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until combined. Fold in the lemon zest. Beat the butter in a mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, until creamy. Add the lemon juice, salt, 1 cup of powdered sugar and the maraschino cherry juice. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until combined. Fold in the lemon zest. Garnish Cut off a slice from each end of the lemon and slice into 6 thin slices. Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small sauce pan. Stir to combine and add the lemon slices. Bring mixture to a boil then lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour some sugar onto a plate. Drain the liquid off the lemon slices and gently lay the slices on the sugar with a fork or tongs. Cover with more sugar and let them cool. When cool, cut the lemon slices in half and toss them around to coat slices evenly with sugar. Cut off a slice from each end of the lemon and slice into 6 thin slices. Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small sauce pan. Stir to combine and add the lemon slices. Bring mixture to a boil then lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour some sugar onto a plate. Drain the liquid off the lemon slices and gently lay the slices on the sugar with a fork or tongs. Cover with more sugar and let them cool. When cool, cut the lemon slices in half and toss them around to coat slices evenly with sugar.

To assemble, frost the cupcakes and add a lemon half and a cherry on top of each cupcake. To assemble, frost the cupcakes and add a lemon half and a cherry on top of each cupcake. Nutrition Nutrition Facts Gluten Free Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe Amount Per Serving Calories 289 Calories from Fat 45 % Daily Value* Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 3g 15% Cholesterol 51mg 17% Sodium 18mg 1% Potassium 52mg 1% Carbohydrates 61g 20% Fiber 2g 8% Sugar 54g 60% Protein 2g 4% Vitamin A 178IU 4% Vitamin C 14mg 17% Calcium 23mg 2% Iron 1mg 6% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Disclaimer: All nutrition facts on Simply Gluten Free are meant only as a guide and may differ depending on product brands used or ingredient substitutions. Some errors may occur, so you are encouraged to confirm the recipe’s ingredient and nutrition suitability for your own diet.

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