These Lemon Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and so refreshing! Naturally lemon flavored (no pudding mixes or lemon extract in the cupcake bases!), the lemon flavor comes through bright and clear in these sweet cupcakes! We’re topping them off today with a lemon cream cheese frosting!
Lemon Cupcakes
Another lemon recipe for you today! 🍋
Between all of the testing I’ve been doing for my lemon brownies, lemon curd, lemonade, and now these lemon cupcakes, it’s a miracle my grocery store has been able to keep up with the amount of lemons I’m going through.
Today’s recipe comes by request. I’ve had a lot of fans of my vanilla cake ask me how to make a lemon variation of that recipe, and while I’d love to have an easy fool-proof response to that question, I really don’t know the answer until I get in the kitchen and try it myself. So, into the kitchen I went, and I didn’t leave until I had a dozen perfect lemon cupcakes.
We’re topping these off with a lemon cream cheese frosting (which is a variation of my cream cheese frosting), which really puts gives us a great, tart, lemon flavor.
How to Get the Best Lemon Flavor in Your Lemon Cupcakes
When I started developing this lemon cupcake recipe, I knew that I did not want to use lemon extract. I have nothing against it (and even use it in my lemon brownies) but I know that not everyone keeps all different kinds of extracts stocked at all times, and I like to keep my recipes as pantry-staple-friendly as possible. We’re halfway there with this recipe (no extract in the cupcakes, but I do recommend it for the frosting).
It only took a few attempts before I found that slightly tart, sunny, lemon-y flavor I was looking for, no extract necessary.
To get there, we’re using lemon juice and fresh lemon zest. You’ll need two Tablespoons of lemon juice, which you’ll stir in with your buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute). This helps to brighten up that bright lemon flavor a bit, but what really packs a powerful punch is the lemon zest (pro-tip, make sure you zest your lemons before you juice them!).
We’re also using two Tablespoons of lemon zest. When zesting your lemon, it’s very important that you just use zest from the outer layer of the rind (the yellow part!). If you grind too deeply into your lemon, what you’re actually grating is the “pith” of the lemon. The pith is white and bitter and doesn’t have the same citrus flavor that the zest does. If you end up with two Tablespoons of pith rather than zest, your cupcakes will be bitter and not nearly as lemony as they ought to be.
When developing the lemon cream cheese frosting, I found that I wasn’t happy with the flavor derived from just using lemon juice and zest, so I do recommend using lemon extract there for a bolder lemon flavor, if you have it.
Enjoy!
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Be sure to check out my Lemon Cupcake video at the bottom of the recipe! If you enjoy watching, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 150 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
- 1/4 cup canola oil¹ 60ml
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest²
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 185g may substitute cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk 118ml
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract optional
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 4 cups powdered sugar 500g
Instructions
LEMON CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- Place butter in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat until creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add oil, sugar, and lemon zest and beat again until creamy and thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and stir well until completely combined.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large measuring cup, briefly stir together buttermilk and lemon juice.
- Using a spoon or spatula, gradually stir about a third of the flour mixture into wet ingredients until just-combined (don’t use an electric mixer here or you’ll be more likely to overmix the batter, resulting in dense/dry cupcakes). Add about half of the buttermilk mixture into the batter and stir until just combined. Repeat adding flour and buttermilk in this way until ingredients are completely combined, but don’t mix more than you need to. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so all ingredients are combined.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared cupcake tin, filling each liner 2/3 of the way full. Transfer to 350F/175C oven and bake for 17-18 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely before topping with lemon cream cheese frosting.
LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat until well-combined.
- Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, lemon extract (if using), salt, and lemon juice and beat well.
- Gradually, with mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to make sure ingredients are well incorporated.
- Once cupcakes have cooled, spread or pipe³ lemon cream cheese frosting over cupcakes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Milly says
October 14, 2019 at 11:30 amJust made these. I doubled the recipe and thet turned out AMAZING!!!!! Best lemon cupcakes I’ve ever had
Sugar Spun Run says
October 14, 2019 at 1:58 pmThank you so much, Milly! I am so happy that you enjoyed the lemon cupcakes! 🙂
Kirsty says
October 3, 2019 at 2:59 amHi I’m wanting to turn this into a cake will I need to double the recipe or can I use it as it is. I was going to add lemon to the funfeti cake as it’s my favourite recipe but I didn’t want to ruin it.
Sugar Spun Run says
October 3, 2019 at 9:16 amHello, Kristy! It really depends on the size of the cake pan you are trying to use. This recipe makes approximately 12 cupcakes or close to 4 cups of cake batter. What size pan are you trying to use?
Maddy says
August 28, 2019 at 9:10 amHi Sam! Can I say your vanilla cake is my go to recipe for all my cakes:)
It’s the best!!
I just tried this lemon cake today because a friend’s daughter wants a lemon cake and I needed a sure fire one.
The first test cake I put some extra butter (by accident lol)! But it’s quite robust as in not breakable crumbly.
The second one I followed the recipe to a tee and lovely n crumbly but bottoms browned up a bit( stil crumbly!)
Do you think because I made a cake instead of cupcakes it’s turned out different?
Ur cupcakes look so lovely and light in color:(((
Sugar Spun Run says
August 28, 2019 at 4:18 pmHello, Maddy! Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I am happy that you enjoyed the Vanilla Cake and are back to try another recipe!
I am sorry that your lemon cake did not turn out as well. Baking in either cake or cupcake form should be fine. If your cake is crumbly it has baked too long. I recommend adjusting the racks and baking on the middle rack, keeping an eye on bake time. Another thought is that your oven may be running too hot. I have an oven thermometer that I use often to test the accuracy of the temperature inside the oven, sometimes they are 10-15 degrees hotter than indicated.
I hope that this is helpful. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Maddy says
August 29, 2019 at 4:50 amThank u !! Yes third cake turned out perfect so soft and fluffy. I used two pans instead of one( I think I was being lazy in first attempt hahaha!)
Today I’m GNA get the lemon curd sorted and buttercream sorted and assemble it:)
Xx
Sugar Spun Run says
August 29, 2019 at 8:11 amHooray! I am so happy that it turned out better than the first time around. I hope it all comes together nicely. Enjoy! 🙂
Rosamonde Simone @ KetoBotyToneAvis says
August 16, 2019 at 6:12 amYour recipe of ‘lemon-cupcakes’ looks very yummy and so delicious, I will try it for my kids. Thank you for sharing it.
Sam says
August 16, 2019 at 9:25 amI hope you love the cupcakes, Rosamonde! 🙂
JoAnn Malloy says
July 29, 2019 at 4:17 pmHi! These look fabulous. My question is, can I freeze them (I know without frosting)? If so, how do you suggest I do it? How long will they last if frozen?
Sam says
July 29, 2019 at 4:35 pmHi JoAnn! I have not tried freezing them, but I think they would hold up. I would think putting them in freezer bags would suffice. I’m not sure how long they would last.
Scott says
June 25, 2019 at 7:34 pmI just made these and they are so wonderful, exactly as promised!
Sam says
June 26, 2019 at 6:53 amI am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes, Scott! 🙂
Alesha says
June 18, 2019 at 11:10 amHi there! I’ve been put in charge of baking cupcakes for my office, and have been looking through your site: all of your recipes look amazing! This is the third one I’ve printed off, but have a couple questions about it:
1. could they be stuffed after baking, with lemon curd?
2. Can the amount of sugar in the icing be cut back? I usually will cut sugars in half.
Thanks in advance!
Sam says
June 19, 2019 at 3:11 pmHi Alesha! You can definitely fill them with lemon curd after baking. Have you checked out my lemon curd? It would go great! Unfortunately in the frosting, if you cut the sugar it will be very runny. Enjoy! 🙂
Chris says
June 16, 2019 at 10:55 pmMy 11 year old made these today, for her daddy on Father’s Day. They turned out fantastic! We will make these again for certain. We are thinking of doubling the recipe, and making a layer cake, with a lemon curd filling. This recipe is the best tasting lemon cake/frosting combo that I have ever tried!
Sam says
June 16, 2019 at 11:11 pmI am so glad everyone enjoyed the cupcakes, Chris! 🙂
Margie says
June 13, 2019 at 9:00 pmI can’t wait to make these! I’m still making lemon curd weekly (LOVE it!) and using it in your Strawberry Lemon Layered Shortcake recipe. I’ve had to make four of those cakes since you posted that yummy recipe! Do you think I could substitute lemon curd for the lemon juice & zest and lemon extract in the frosting recipe for the cupcakes?
Sam says
June 15, 2019 at 9:38 pmI hope you love the cupcakes, and am so glad to hear you like the lemon curd so much! I actually think the lemon curd would work great in the frosting instead of the lemon juice/zest. You may need to use a bit more/less (hard to say for sure without having tried it) but just do some taste-testing along the way until you have the desired consistency and flavor and I bet it will be amazing!
Minoo says
June 13, 2019 at 4:17 amI baked this recipe today! It was very delicious, like all your recipes.
Thank you so much
Sam says
June 13, 2019 at 8:28 amI am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! 🙂
Linda R. says
June 10, 2019 at 12:43 pmThe frosting looks like it has been sprinkled with colored sugar crystals in the folds.
Is that what accounts for the yellow color visible in the folds of the frosting?
It’s VERY pretty!
Sam says
June 10, 2019 at 7:10 pmHi Linda! Yup, I sprinkled the tops with yellow sanding sugar just for decoration. Thank you! 🙂