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These light and fluffy Lemon Cupcakes are made with a creamy lemon frosting for the best lemon cupcakes! They are easy to make and perfect for spring and summer!
Moist Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
Lemon desserts are always something special, and these cupcakes are certainly no exception. Both the buttercream and the cupcakes are naturally flavored with fresh lemon juice and zest. The results are decadent lemon cupcakes with just the right amount of lemon!
The cupcakes are decorated with a half of a lemon slice, which makes them bright and cheerful. Such a refreshing flavor and presentation that’s sure to be a hit! Grab your lemons and let’s get baking.
What You’ll Need
These cupcakes keep it simple when it comes to ingredients, and so does the frosting! Here’s the lineup for both:
For the Lemon Cupcakes
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder: To help the cupcakes rise.
- Baking Soda: A little bit of baking soda supplements the baking powder in this recipe and is ideal in an acidic cupcake, like lemon.
- Salt: You’ll need 1/4 teaspoon.
- Unsalted Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature.
- Vegetable Oil: For extra moist cupcakes!
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract: To compliment out the lovely lemon flavor.
- Eggs: You’ll need 2 large eggs.
- Milk
- Fresh Lemon Juice: About 1/4 cup.
- Fresh Lemon Zest: You’ll need 1 tablespoon.
For the Lemon Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar: Confectioner’s sugar gives the frosting its volume and consistency.
- Vanilla Extract
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Fresh Lemon Zest
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
If you’ve made cupcakes before, this recipe won’t be unfamiliar at all! The process is super simple and uses the creaming method.
- Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar & Vanilla: Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Start Adding Dry Ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
- Add Milk & Lemon: Combine the milk and lemon juice, then slowly add the mixture to the batter along with the lemon zest and mix until well combined.
- Finish Adding Dry Ingredients: Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not overmix the batter.
- Bake: Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let Cool: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make the Lemon Buttercream Frosting
This 5-ingredient frosting comes together in no time. And it’s easy to adjust for flavor and consistency!
- Beat Butter: Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Start Adding Powdered Sugar: Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add Vanilla & Lemon: Add the vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest to the frosting and mix until well combined.
- Finish Adding Powdered Sugar: Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Add additional lemon juice as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.
Frosting Your Cupcakes
The last step is simply putting everything together! Feel free to use your favorite piping tip for the frosting, however you should make sure that it’s not too small. You don’t want any lemon zest getting caught up in small openings. I used Ateco tip 844.
Tips for Success
Want to make sure your cupcakes come out perfect? Just follow these quick tips and suggestions!
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice will give your cupcakes and frosting much better flavor than a bottled version would.
- Cream Butter Mixture Completely: Make sure you cream the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla for the full 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. It should become light, fluffy and also lighter in color.
- Adjust Frosting Consistency: You may need to adjust the amount of lemon juice you use to get the buttercream just right. If you’re not sure what consistency to go for, check out my tutorial for How to Get the Right Frosting Consistency.
How to Store Frosted Cupcakes
Leftover lemon cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for about 24 hours, then refrigerated after that. Keep them in an airtight container and enjoy them within 2-3 days. They are best served at room temperature.
Watch How To Make Them
Print
Lemon Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 14
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These light and fluffy Lemon Cupcakes are made with a creamy lemon frosting for the tastiest citrus dessert ever! You’ll love how easily they come together.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tbsp (90ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
For the Lemon Buttercream
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4–5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
- Combine the milk and lemon juice, then slowly add the mixture to the batter along with the lemon zest and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
- Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
- When the cupcakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest to the frosting and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and salt and mix until well combined and smooth. Add additional lemon juice as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Cupcakes are best when stored well covered and eaten within 2-3 days. They can be left at room temperature for about 24 hours, then refrigerated. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Makes 12-14 cupcakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 44.9 g
- Sodium: 80.8 mg
- Fat: 21.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 54.8 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 70.3 mg
More Cupcake Recipes
I have so many more yummy cupcake recipes that you have to try! Here are a few of my favorite ones:
- Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
- Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
- Apple Butter Cupcakes
- Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
- Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
- Easy Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes
- Caramel Macchiato Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Can this recipe be used to make a cake? If so, what size pan/s?
Yes, you can find it as a lemon cake here.
I apologize if I missed it noted somewhere…wondering if you can use buttermilk? It doesn’t specify 2%, whole or buttermilk…
I recommend 2% or whole milk, not buttermilk.
Thanks so much!
Love the taste but my cupcakes shrink and sink slightly in the middle + the wrappers peel off while they cool.
I’m sorry you had trouble with them. A few possible reasons for shrinking and sinking:
– opening the door of the oven too soon
– not properly creaming the butter, oil and sugar
– over mixing
As for the wrappers, I might try another brand.
Can this be made in a sheet pan?
Thanks
Like in a 9×13? Yes, but you would need to double the recipe. I made it a 9×13 in this lemon poke cake. You just don’t have to do all the poking and the same topping.
Hello! Can I make this in advance and store the cupcake with buttercream in refrigerator? Thank you.
Yes, you can.
I’m making these cupcakes for a crowd, would doubling the recipe be okay?
Yes, that would be fine.
Really nice recipe, light moist cupcakes. I added poppy seeds to mine. Definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Hi i tried this recipe last night. The flavor was good, not too sweet yet tangy. I had perfect dome cupcakes. However it’s a little bit dry for my liking. Could it be that I overmixed the butter? Can I change something in the recipe to make it more fluffy? Thanks
Dryness is often from over measuring the flour. If you have a food scale, that’s always best. You can also check out my post on measuring flour for some tips.
Omg !
I made these lemon cupcakes !
Amazing .
Will continue to always make them , everyone loved them !
Awesome! I’m so glad they were hit!
Perfect in every way!
I’ve been an avid baker for over 30 years and these were truly perfect cupcakes. Fine crumb, light texture, moist, fluffy. Exactly how you want a cupcake! I’m genuinely surprised to find this recipe, it’s my new go-to.
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This recipe was so delicious but I had a little trouble with my cupcakes not rising and coming off the cupcake wrappers. Do you have any tips on what I might have missed?
It can be hard to say from a distance, but with the most common issues with rising I would say to check your baking powder and baking soda, and make sure they are still good. Also, be sure that you fully creamed the butter and sugar mixture. That adds air to the batter that helps the cupcakes rise.
I made these at the w/end for my mum. I bake something for her every week. There were lovely so light . I did replace the buttercream with fresh cream whipped with lemon curd. As she doesn’t like things too sweet. It needed to be thicker really. So don’t know if it wasn’t whipped enough
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! As for the whipped cream, I’m not sure what measurements you used, but too much lemon curd would thin out the whipped cream and make it hard to get it super thick.
These are delicious! I have never had much success with cupcakes in the past, but these worked out beautifully! I’ve printed this recipe to keep!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Hello,
Can the regular milk be substitute with almond milk?
I haven’t ever tested it to be able to say for sure. I’m guessing they would be fine, but I think almond milk has less fat so they might be a touch drier.
Can I use selfveaising flour in this recipe 🙏
I haven’t tested it, but don’t recommend it.
Do you think I could use half and half in place of the milk? Thank you!
You could try it. I’ve never used half and half in my baking, but I suppose it should be ok.