Lemon Cupcakes
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These Lemon Cupcakes are made with simple ingredients. They are moist and loaded with lemon flavor.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Lemon Cupcakes
This is my version of Lemon Cupcakes. You can traditionally decorate with buttercream, or you can make buttercream flowers with the same cream. Check also Hydrangea Flowers or Flowers Macarons. Swiss Meringue Buttercream will also work for flower decor. Cupcakes are moist and taste delicious. Try also Vanilla or Chocolate Cupcakes.
Ingredients
- Sugar: White granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
- Flour: All-purpose flour. Use your favorite brand.
- Butter: Unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Milk: Milk should be warm, but do not boil it. Whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Do not substitute with soy or almond milk.
- Lemon: Zest and juice of one lemon. Must be at room temperature.
- Baking powder: Make sure you are using non-expired powder.
- Salt: Used for taste. You can skip this ingredient if you are using salted butter.
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Prepare the muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Using a microplane, finely grate only the bright yellow outer skin of the lemon. Combine sugar with the zest in a bowl. Vigorously rub the mixture between your fingers for a few minutes. This friction releases the citrus oils, which are immediately absorbed by the sugar crystals. This is the best natural lemon flavor for cupcakes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and lemon sugar for a few minutes. With the mixer still on, add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides and the base of the bowl. Pour warm milk and mix again.
Sift in dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat again until all is combined. Add lemon juice.
Fill muffin tins using an ice cream scoop. Pour batter into muffin tin, filling 2/3 of the way up. Do not fill more. Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove lemon cupcakes from the oven. Cool for a few minutes in the baking tin, then place on the cooling rack. Cool cupcakes completely before decorating with buttercream.
How to Make Lemon Buttercream
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add butter. Using the paddle attachment, beat butter for about 30 seconds. Add sifted powder sugar in a few parts and beat again. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl with the spatula. Make sure all ingredients are combined. Transfer lemon buttercream into a pastry bag and decorate cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the pantry, not the fridge. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
Yes, freeze cupcakes in an airtight container for a few months.
Yes, absolutely. Bake cupcakes and decorate later.
Expert Tips
- Measure all ingredients correctly.
- Make sure baking powder and other ingredients are not expired.
- Buttercream flowers may look hard to make, but they are simple and made with 2 piping tips.
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Recipe
Lemon Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 1 spatula
- 2 muffin/cupcakes tin
- 24 cupcake liners
- 1 ice cream scoop
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Lemon Buttercream
- 2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 lemon
Instructions
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Prepare the muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Using a microplane, finely grate only the bright yellow outer skin of the lemon.
- Combine sugar with the lemon zest in a bowl. Vigorously rub the mixture between your fingers for a few minutes. This friction releases the citrus oils, which are immediately absorbed by the sugar crystals. This is the best natural lemon flavor for cupcakes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and lemon sugar for a few minutes.
- With the mixer still on, add eggs, one at a time.
- Scrape down the sides and the base of the bowl.
- Pour warm milk and mix again.
- Sift in dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat again until all is combined. Add lemon juice.
- Fill muffin tins using an ice cream scoop. Pour batter into muffin tin, filling 2/3 of the way up. Do not fill more.
- Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove lemon cupcakes from the oven. Cool for a few minutes in the baking tin, then place on the cooling rack. Cool cupcakes completely before decorating with buttercream.
How to Make Lemon Buttercream
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add butter. Using the paddle attachment, beat butter for about 30 seconds.
- Add sifted powder sugar in a few parts and beat again.
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl with the spatula. Make sure all ingredients are combined.
- Transfer lemon buttercream into a pastry bag and decorate cupcakes.
