This lemon cupcake recipe is for those who love lemon. Moist, zesty, yet, light and airy. Filled with lemon curd and topped with lemon buttercream. Based on my one-bowl recipe, these cupcakes are simple and easy to make.
About these cupcakes
These are one of my lazy cupcake recipes. I call them lazy because they are as easy as putting all the ingredients in a bowl and giving it a good mix. I tend to use these recipes when I'm feeling lazy or have no time.
The recipe is based on my one-bowl recipes. If you have not tried one bowl vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, you must. So easy and so delicious. These hardly ever get frosted because they are so good on their own.
And of course, the lemon buttercream enhances the lemon flavor beautifully in these cupcakes.
For me, lemon cupcakes must be filled with lemon curd. It's just something I have to do. But these are delicious even without the filling. As usual, I'm using my homemade lemon curd (which is to die for), but you can also use store-bought lemon curd.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - I use regular all-purpose flour, plain flour (maida) for most of my cakes and cupcakes. This is easily available and usually always on hand in most households.
- Butter - I like to use unsalted butter, but if salted butter is all you have, use it. But, omit salt in the recipe.
- Sugar - I prefer to use fine-grain white sugar in my one-bowl recipes. This helps the sugar dissolve easily in the batter. If coarse grain sugar is all you have - pulse it in the food processor for a few minutes.
- Eggs - We have only two eggs in this recipe, so make it two good large eggs.
- Lemon juice - Fresh is the way to go when making lemon desserts. I use fresh organic lemons. You can also use lime for zestier flavor.
- Zest - Use only the yellow part of the zest not the white because the white is bitter and can alter the taste of your cupcakes. Alternatively, you can also use ¼ tsp lemon extract.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand whisk and bowl).
- Mix on medium speed until a smooth batter is obtained (do not overmix).
- Divide batter between 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
Frosting
- Cream butter, lemon curd/juice, and salt for a minute.
- Then, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- After all the powdered sugar is in, add the vanilla extract.
- Whip for 2 minutes until light and fluffy like whipped cream.
Assemble
- Place lemon curd in a piping bag with a round tip/nozzle.
- Place buttercream in another piping bag with a star tip/nozzle.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, fill the cupcakes with lemon curd - I like to just poke the nozzle into the cupcake and give it a generous squeeze.
- Then, pipe a generous swirl of lemon buttercream on top.
- You can garnish the cupcakes with a slice of lemon or zest, or sprinkle of lemon zest.
Storage
- These cupcakes will stay at room temperature for 2 days.
- You can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days if wrapped properly (fridge can dry out the cakes and cupcakes easily).
- You can even freeze these cupcakes for up to a month.
Frequently asked questions
Baking perfect cupcakes is not hard to achieve if you follow the above 12 tips for perfect cupcakes.
There are a few things you can do - I discuss it in this post -- how to avoid cupcake liners peeling after baking.
There are few things you can do to bake similar size cupcakes - we discussed that in detail here - How to bake same size cupcakes.
You can place cupcakes (wrapped) in the fridge for a few minutes to cool them quickly. I like to place them for just 5 to 7 minutes in the freezer.
Never leave cupcakes in the fridge open for long as they will dry out.
I like to bake at 160 - 170 C, or 320 to 340 F, or gas mark 2 - 3.
Depending on how hot your oven temperature is, cupcakes usually take between 18 to 22 minutes. If your cupcakes bake quicker than 18 minutes or longer than 22 minutes, it's probably best to check if your oven needs calibration.
Yes, you can. Throw in a cup of raspberries to make lemon raspberry cupcakes, or blueberries to make blueberry lemon cupcakes.
This recipe works best with eggs. But, I do have an eggless vanilla cake recipe - just replace 2 tbsp of the liquid with lemon juice, add zest.
This recipe makes just 12 cupcakes, which is not enough for a cake. You can double this recipe to make two 7-inch round cakes. Increase the baking time to about 25 to 30 minutes.
What other frostings can I use for these cupcakes?
Oh, these cupcakes are delicious with just about any frosting. I have shared with you more than 30 different buttercream flavors here on the blog but these are just a few suggestions.
- Velvet American buttercream
- Vanilla buttercream (eggless)
- Swiss Meringue or Italian Meringue
- French Buttercream and German buttercream
- whipped cream buttercream frosting
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Lemon Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Cupcake
- ½ cup (100 g) White sugar
- 4 oz (113 g) Unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (190 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Lemon zest
- ¼ cup (¼ cups) Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 8 oz (227 g) Butter (2 sticks) unsalted room temperature
- 4 cups (480 g) Powdered sugar
- ½ cup Lemon curd or 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Plus
- ½ cup Lemon curd
- 12 Lemon slices or zest, for garnish
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand whisk and bowl).
- Mix on medium speed until a smooth batter is obtained (do not overmix).
- Divide batter between 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
Frosting
- Cream butter, lemon curd/juice, and salt for a minute.
- Then, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- After all the powdered sugar is in - add the vanilla extract.
- Whip for 2 minutes until light and fluffy like whipped cream.
Assemble
- Place lemon curd in a piping bag with a round tip/nozzle.
- Place buttercream in another piping bag with a star tip/nozzle.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, fill the cupcakes with lemon curd - I like to just poke the nozzle into the cupcake and give it a generous squeeze.
- Then, pipe a generous swirl of lemon buttercream on top.
- You can garnish the cupcakes with a slice of lemon or zest, or sprinkle of lemon zest.
Recipe Notes
Storage
- These cupcakes will stay at room temperature for 2 days.
- You can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days if wrapped properly. (fridge can dry out the cakes and cupcakes easily)
- You can even freeze these cupcakes for up to a month.
12 tips for baking perfect cupcakes every single time
- Follow the recipe properly with minimum substitutions.
- Always use good quality ingredients.
- Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature.
- Never over-mix the batter.
- Use a scoop for baking similar size cupcakes.
- Always preheat the oven before baking - a hot oven works best for cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at the right temperature.
- Always bake cupcakes on the center rack one tray at a time.
- Never open the oven during baking - no peeking.
- Remove cupcakes from their pan no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking.
- Store cupcakes properly after baking. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cupcakes dry in the fridge unless wrapped properly with plastic wrap.
- Simple syrup the cupcakes if you don't plan to eat them on the same day.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Sam
The cupcakes were so good! They were so fluffy and moist and lemony. I will be making them again, thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Sam.
Harshada
Hi veena
I have 1 question do the lemon juice quantity change as per location. Here in India limes are very sour. But abroad they are less sour. Pls tell if we need to reduce the quantity?
Veena Azmanov
Hey Harshada. I do not reduce the lemon juice. The small lime is more sour compared to the large lemons. SO if you use lime then reduce the juice by half if you use regular lemons use the same quaniity
GUNJAN C Dudani
I ma drooling over these lemon cupcakes. They look so desirable and perfectly baked. OOh that frosting. Can't wait to try them.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Gunjan. I hope you try these soon