This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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
I used this cupcake recipe to make a small 6 inch bundt cake for Mother’s Day. My mom and family loved the lemon and lightness. 1/4 of the frosting recipe was enough and I added a little more micro-planed lemon zest. The cake was done in 35 min at 350.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am a home baker, and I was I need for lemon cupcakes. I follow lifeloveandsugar and I said she would have a great recipe for me. I always like to taste test my recipes before sending out, but I did not have time. The only changes I did was I took a fork and whisk the zest with the sugar for more of a lemon taste. Highly recommend this. I added 1 tablespoon of poppyseed. Results, an amazing perfect lemon flavor, soft and tender cupcake. I loved how many minutes were added to the recipe for creaming. Filled pans 3/4 full per recipe and this was perfect. I was worried that was too much, nope. Mine were done at 13 minutes. Watch closely at end of baking. Don’t overbake. Thank you for the small amazing lemon cupcakes. I know have my go to recipe for a small batch
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
thank you so much, lindsay for these beautiful cupcakes. just finished them, they’re waiting to be consumed by my friends tomorrow morning. lovely.
a big hi to mckenzy
renata
I’m so glad to hear that!
Have you added sour cream to this recipe ever?
I don’t think so.
This recipe was fantastic!! Made it for a birthday party and one of the guest ate 4 of them they were so good!! Others asked to take them home because they loved them so much. I will definitely make this again.
Awesome! I’m so glad they were a hit!
Can you use this same recipe to make a cake and put it into 6 inch round cake pans instead??
Yes, you can. I double it and use it for my 8 inch lemon layer cake, but you could also make a 6 inch, as you mentioned.
I tested this recipe and the cupcakes came out light and fluffy.
Cupcakes came out delicious. Only thing is the frosting came out more like a glaze. I only did half of the recipe for the frosting just to taste. What did I do wrong that came out like a glaze?
So the powdered sugar is what gives the buttercream it’s volume and consistency. You said you reduced the recipe by half. If you reduced everything by half, including the powdered sugar, then it should have been ok. But if you reduced the sugar to less than 2 cups, it could end up on the thin side.
Buttercream is a balance of the “wet ingredients” like butter and things like lemon juice, in this recipe, and the powdered sugar. If you have too much butter and lemon juice and not enough powdered sugar, it’ll be too thin. If you have too much powdered sugar and not enough butter and lemon juice, it’ll be too thick. So, I didn’t see what changes you actually made, but either you didn’t add enough powdered sugar or you added too much lemon juice or butter. Or maybe the butter was melted? I hope that all makes sense and it helpful.
I am making 60+ of these cupcakes for my sisters wedding! Would I be able to make the cupcakes in advance and freeze them (without frosting) and then a day before pull them from out the freezer and decorate? Or would this affect the texture/taste? Thank you
I always think fresh is best, but I’m a little particular. 🙂 I would recommend trying a small batch and freezing them for a week or so and then see what you think.
These are the best lemon cupcakes I’ve ever made, and I’ve been baking for 60+ years! I baked them for my 14 year old granddaughter’s birthday and she LOVED them, which was all I wanted. The cake is tender and moist and the icing is light and fluffy, the perfect combination! I will definitely be making these again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Is it necessary to use a stand mixer for this or is the consistency reasonably achievable with hand-mixing? Thanks
Creaming the butter and sugar might be a little tough to do by hand, but you could give it a try.
Added some lemon extract to the frosting and holy sh*t I could have eaten just the frosting.
Glad you enjoyed it!
These are the best cupcakes ever!!! They are perfect for a family! They are moist, tasty, and soft!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This is su ch a wonderful recipe! I just made a trial run to see if it was the recipe I wanted to go with for an event. I’m happy to say that I’ll be bringing 100 of these delicious cupcakes to an event!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!