Lemon Cupcakes are the perfect tender, moist cakes with refreshing citrusy flavors from fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
Delicious Cake Recipes, like this one, are ideal to make for a bake sale, get-together, or birthday. The delicious lemon flavor takes a regular Vanilla Cupcake and adds a refreshing tangy flavor to it for a more unique treat.
LEMON CUPCAKES
You’re sure to love the bright taste of these Citrusy Lemon Cupcakes. The lemons add a tart and tangy taste to the buttery vanilla flavor of the classic cake recipe. Then silky lemon buttercream tops off the lemon cake for the perfect treat!
You don’t have to be an extreme lemon lover to adore this lemon dessert. Although the lemons add a delightful sour taste, it’s not so much that it’s overwhelming. The trusty Vanilla Buttercream gets a slight make-over by adding 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. It’s just enough to enhance the vanilla taste without losing it.
This Lemon Cupcake recipe is perfect to bake for a special occasion. Serve up cupcakes with lemon at your next potluck, picnic, or get-together. You can even leave off the icing and serve them at a brunch. The citrusy taste of lemons is perfect to wake you up so they’re perfect for a morning social.
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Rainbow Cupcakes with Vanilla Cloud Frosting
M&M’s Stuffed Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
Gluten Free Salted Caramel Cupcakes
TIPS FOR MAKING LEMON CUPCAKES
- Prep time: Start by preheating your oven and lining your cupcake tin with paper liners. You should also take the butter out of the fridge in advance so that it has time to soften.
- Cupcake batter: Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to your stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to beat them together on medium speed until they’re fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk. Beat in the wet ingredients until it reaches a smooth consistency. In a separate medium bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the electric mixer and stir until the flour mixture is just combined with the rest of the ingredients. Finish it off with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Baking time: Use an ice cream scoop to fill each of the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take the cupcake tins from the oven and let the cakes cool to room temperature before icing.
- Lemon Frosting: Add the butter to your stand mixer at low-speed. Add the confectioners sugar ½ cup at a time until it’s mixed in. Raise the speed for 1 minute. Then add vanilla and lemon juice to the butter mixture and stir until light and fluffy. Move the frosting from the mixing bowl into a piping bag to top the cupcakes.
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VARIATIONS ON LEMON CUPCAKES
- Homemade Lemon Curd: Instead of icing, you can make an easy, Lemon Curd Filling recipe to top off your cakes. This will make a stronger lemon taste overall.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Instead of buttercream, you can make lemon cream cheese frosting. Just follow the regular cream cheese recipe and mix in a tablespoon lemon zest and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Lemon Blueberry Cake: Lemon and blueberries make a delicious combination. To add some juicy blueberry flavor to the recipe, toss a cup of blueberries in flour and lemon juice. Then mix them in with the batter.
- Decorations: For some decorations add sprinkles, lemon drop candies, or slice additional lemon slices to add to the top for garnish.
MORE LEMON DESSERTS
Iced Lemon Muffins
Shaker Lemon Pie
Lemon Cake Roll
Lemon Cookies
HOW TO STORE LEMON CUPCAKES
- Serve: Lemon Cupcakes can stay good at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cover them in plastic wrap to keep them moist while they sit out on the counter.
- Store: You can also put the homemade Lemon Cupcakes in an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: To store them for a long period of time, seal the cupcakes and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tray with liner cups.
- To a stand mixer add the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add it to the stand mixer on the lowest speed setting until just combined.
- Add in lemon zest and lemon juice until combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop fill the cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- To your stand mixer on low-speed cream the butter then start adding in the powdered sugar in ½ cup increments until fully combined then raise the speed to medium-high for 1 additional minute.
- Add in the vanilla and lemon juice and beat until light and fluffy for 1 minute.
- Add frosting to a piping bag and frost your cupcakes.
Nutrition
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