Lemon cupcakes — need I say more? These bright, tender cupcakes deliver a perfect balance of tangy lemon and gentle sweetness, with a light, moist crumb that’s ideal for spring gatherings or anytime you want a cheerful dessert.
Why You’ll Love These
These homemade lemon cupcakes are bursting with fresh lemon flavor and have a soft, airy texture. They’re straightforward to make and produce 24 cupcakes — perfect for sharing with friends, family, or neighbors.
Cupcake Ingredients
- Cake flour, baking powder, and salt – Cake flour creates a lighter, finer crumb than all-purpose flour.
- Buttermilk – Adds moisture and a gentle tang that complements the lemon.
- Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level.
- Granulated sugar – For balanced sweetness; rubbing it with lemon zest intensifies citrus aroma.
- Egg whites – This recipe uses 4 large egg whites at room temperature to help the cupcakes stay light.
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest – Fresh ingredients give the best, brightest lemon flavor.
- Vanilla and lemon extracts – Small amounts boost and round out the citrus notes.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Softened for easy mixing.
- Cream cheese – Adds a tangy, creamy base for the frosting.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest, plus a pinch of salt – These brighten and balance the icing.
- Powdered sugar – For sweetness and the right spreading consistency.
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard muffin pans with cupcake liners or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a bowl, sift or whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg whites until combined.
Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest in the mixer bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and slightly moist. Add the softened butter and beat on medium for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and fresh lemon juice. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed, then beat in half of the buttermilk-and-egg mixture. Add half of the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
Mix in the rest of the buttermilk and egg whites until combined, then add the final portion of dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl as needed and beat for about 2 minutes to fully incorporate and aerate the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and well combined. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, mixing briefly to incorporate.
On low speed, add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency. Adjust lemon or sugar to taste. Frost the cooled cupcakes with an offset spatula or pipe the frosting using a piping bag.
Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Butter, egg whites, and buttermilk mix more evenly and give a lighter texture when they’re at room temperature.
- Choose fresh lemons: Freshly squeezed juice and freshly grated zest make a noticeable difference in flavor compared with bottled juice.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife to avoid packing and excess flour.
FAQs
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor.
Yes — freeze cupcakes unfrosted. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost as instructed. Cream cheese frosting does not freeze well.
Yes. These cupcakes often taste even better the next day once flavors have settled, so they’re great to prepare ahead for events.
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes
Coconut Cupcakes
Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- Lemon zest of two lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract
For the icing:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- Juice and zest from 2 lemons
- Generous pinch of salt
- 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tins with liners or non-stick spray.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk buttermilk and egg whites together in a medium bowl.
- Rub sugar with lemon zest, then beat with butter until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Beat in extracts and lemon juice. Add one-third of the dry mix, then half the buttermilk mixture, then half the remaining dry ingredients.
- Add the remaining buttermilk and egg whites, then the last of the dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes to aerate.
- Portion batter into pans and bake 18–22 minutes, until risen and springy. Cool on a wire rack.
Icing
- Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add lemon juice, zest, and salt. On low speed, add confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Frost cooled cupcakes and serve.
Nutrition
Adapted from trialsinfood.