Lemon Cupcakes

Bright, zesty, and perfectly sweet, these Lemon Cupcakes are a refreshing twist on a classic dessert. With a fluffy texture and a creamy lemon buttercream frosting, they’re the ultimate treat for lemon lovers.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cupcake Recipe

These lemon cupcakes are an absolute must-try for anyone who loves a bright, citrusy dessert. The fresh lemon zest and creamy lemon buttercream frosting create a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess in every bite. Their soft, fluffy texture and moist crumbs make them feel bakery-quality, but they’re easy enough to whip up at home. Whether you’re a lemon lover or just looking for a fresh take on a classic cupcake, this recipe is sure to become one of your favorite desserts.

Ingredients Needed for Lemon Cupcakes

Here’s everything you’ll need to gather up:

For the Cupcakes-

Butter: Softened for easy creaming.
Eggs: Provide structure and richness.
Fresh Lemon Zest: The star of the show, adding bright lemon flavor.
Milk: Creates a moist batter.
Pantry Staples: all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, granulated sugar

For the Frosting-

Heavy Cream: Whipped for a light, airy texture.
Butter: Room temperature butter is key for creamy frosting.
Vanilla Extract: Complements the lemon.
Fresh Lemon Zest: For extra citrus flavor.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Milk: Adjusts the frosting consistency.
Optional Garnish: A sprinkle of lemon zest for a finishing touch.

Variations

Gluten-Free: Swap all-purpose flour for a high-quality gluten-free blend.
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes: Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Replace butter in the frosting with cream cheese for a tangy twist.
Small Batch: Halve the recipe for a smaller yield.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes

For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are my step by step directions for making these homemade lemon cupcakes:

1. Preheat Oven + Prep Pan

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.

2. Cream Butter + Sugar

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add Wet Ingredients

Mix in eggs, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon zest. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is combined.

4. Add in Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour mixture (flour, baking powder, and salt). Add this to the wet ingredients alternately with milk on low speed until just combined.

5. Bake

Bake: Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the cupcake tins. Reduce the oven temperature to 325° F and bake for 20-25 minutes. Use a cake tester to check for moist crumbs in the center of the cupcake. Cool on a wire rack.

Pro Tip: The last thing you want to do is over-bake these! Watch them like a hawk!

6. Make the Frosting

Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and set aside. Cream butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until smooth, then fold in the whipped cream.

7. Frost Cupcakes

Frost: Use a piping bag with a star tip or an offset spatula to frost the tops of the cupcakes. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.

Storage + Make Ahead Directions for Lemon Cupcakes

Keep frosted cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

To Make Ahead: Bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store in an airtight container. Prepare the frosting fresh for the best texture.

To Freeze: Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container with layers separated by plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.

More Lemon Cake Recipes to Try!

If you’re a lemon lover, you are in luck! I have several lemon desserts, here are a few of my favorites!

Classic Lemon Cake
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
Lemon Raspberry Cake
Lemon Pound Cake
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

These fluffy lemon cupcakes with their creamy lemon buttercream frosting are the perfect balance of sweetness and citrusy brightness. Make these for a baby shower, a casual weekend treat, or simply because you love lemon desserts! Any reason, they’re sure to be a hit. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Lemon Cupcakes

These lemon cupcakes with a lemon mousse frosting are made with really simple ingredients that we all have on hand, but what makes them extra special is the frosting!

Ingredients

for the cupcakes-

▢ 1/2 cup butter softened
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 2 whole eggs
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
▢ 1/2 cup milk

for the frosting-

▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream
▢ 1/2 cup butter
▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
▢ 3 cups powdered sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons milk
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest for garnish, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

for the cupcakes-

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
In large bowl, whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Scrape sides and whip again.
Slowly stir in dry ingredients and then stream in milk. Scrape sides and mix until batter is just combined.
Scoop by the spoonful into prepared muffin tins evenly. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and bake 20-25 minutes or until just baked. (The last thing you want to do is over-bake these! Watch them like a hawk!) Remove from oven and cool completely.

for the frosting-

Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Remove from bowl and set aside.
In the same bowl, whip butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest and powdered sugar for about a minute. You just want to break the butter up in the powdered sugar.
With the mixer on, stream in the milk until the frosting starts coming together. Scrape the sides and whip it on high for about 2 minutes. Fold in the cream carefully.
Once it’s all incorporated, you can frost your cupcakes. I used a piping bag with Wilton tip #1M, but doing it old school with a knife is totally fine too. Serve.
If there are leftovers, store in the fridge.

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