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Your taste buds are going to go crazy over this one —–> Soft and Fluffy Lemon Cupcakes topped with homemade Raspberry Buttercream. Dessert doesn’t get much better than this!
Aside from chocolate, fruity desserts are definitely my favorite. Now that Spring is here – and Summer is just around the corner (woot woot!) – we’ll be getting fruity around here far more often 🙂
To kick things off I give you lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream! They’re fruity, flavorful, and so fun to make. Trust me when I say combing vibrant lemon cupcakes with a gorgeous pink raspberry swirl is sure to make you a baking big shot.
We have a lot to cover today, so let’s dive right into the recipe details.
The first thing I want to talk with you about is the raspberry buttercream frosting. It’s the star of the show, in my opinion! And easy to make, as long as you have a little patience and pay close attention to the recipe below.
Here are a few tips to help you along your way:
1) Make sure your raspberry puree has cooked down to a thick puree and has reduced to 1/4 cup. Removing the puree from heat too soon will leave you with too much liquid, so this is very important to keep in mind.
2) Please (please please please) let your raspberry puree cool completely; 100%; all-the-way! If it’s even still a little warm when you add it to the mix it will throw off the consistency of the frosting and most likely leave you with a gloppy mess. We don’t need that drama in our lives now do we? The puree typically takes 30 minutes to cool (in the fridge), and can be made ahead of time if need be.
3) You want to make sure your butter is very soft. I like to leave two sticks out on the counter for at least an hour before unwrapping them and getting busy, but yours may soften slower or quicker depending on the temperature of your house. The butter temperature is very important here, as it gives this buttercream shape and texture. You will know your butter is soft enough when you can press your finger into the top and an indentation is effortlessly made. Cold butter as well as melted butter should never be used when making this buttercream. In short, it will not work.
4) Once all of the sugar has been added, beat beat beat! You will beat the frosting on medium-high for 2 whole minutes. You will need to use a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer for this step. Beating the frosting on high makes it SUPER luscious and fluffy.
5) If for some reason your frosting seems a bit thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar; if it seems too thick, add a touch of cream. I like to start with a 1/4 cup when adding more sugar, and 1 tablespoon when adding more cream.
6) Don’t forget the salt! Many readers have (and even friends) have informed me they don’t add in the salt called for in dessert recipes because “they don’t like salty sweets”. I feel you! But most times the salt called for is to help balance out the sweetness, and in this case, is quite important for achieving a balanced taste.
I know, I know! I’m such a nerd with my tips! But I just really want to make sure your cupcakes (and frosting!) turn out beautifully 🙂
Which brings us to the cupcakes. The easy part, in my opinion 😉 These cupcakes are fabulously fluffy and exploding with bright lemon flavor in every bite.
The secret ingredient for these cupcakes is cake flour. Cake flour is lower in protein than all-purpose flour, and results in light and airy cupcakes.
Pro tip: In a pinch you can make your own cake flour by sifting together 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This will make one cup of cake flour.
Decorate with extra raspberries and serve to people you love! Cupcakes this pretty just beg to be shared 🙂 xoxo
Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Ingredients
For the lemon cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream (I used full fat)
- 1/2 cup milk (I used whole)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of one lemon (about 3 teaspoons)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the raspberry buttercream:
- 1 1/4 cups frozen raspberries (I think fresh would also work just fine)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (more if needed)
- 1/4 cup fresh raspberries, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
For the lemon cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12 mold muffin tin with paper liners; lightly spray the paper liners with non-stick baking spray; set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well to combine; set aside.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl combine sour cream, milk, and egg; mix well to combine; set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the sugar and lemon zest; rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant and well combined.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the melted butter and lemon sugar on medium-speed until well combined; about 2 minutes. Add in the lemon juice and beat for another minute on medium-speed. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar combination, beating until just combined. Add in sour cream/milk/egg combo and beat on low until *just combined. Over-mixing will result in a dryer/denser cake.
- Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the 12 molds, then place the pan in the oven. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean (or with just a few solid crumbs). Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling wrack to cool completely. Once cool, frost with the raspberry buttercream and extra berries.
For the raspberry buttercream:
- Combine the raspberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, stir the mixture occasionally, breaking up the berries with a wooden spoon, until the raspberries have become soft enough to mash effortlessly. It will look like raspberry jam. Once the mixture can coat a spoon (you should have about 1/4 cup of raspberry puree) remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool completely before using. <--- That part is SUPER important!
When ready to make buttercream:
- Place the softened butter in a large bowl or in the body of a stand mixer. With a handheld mixer, or with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat butter on medium-high (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth; about 2 minutes. Add in the raspberry puree and beat until completely combined; about 1 minute (don't worry if the mixture looks weird at this point). Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the cream and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes - this thickens up the frosting and makes it nice and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
How much raspberry puree does your recipe yield? I already have some frozen puree that I’ll be using. Thanks!
Hi Brianna. Typically it’s around 3 tablespoons of puree 🙂
If I have whole milk, do you think that will work instead of heavy cream for the frosting?
Amazing !
OMG. I did not make the cake, but used your raspberry buttercream frosting recipe for a raspberry cake I just baked. The frosting is to die for. So creamy and fluffy. It came out perfectly and I will it again for sure! Thank you so much for posting. Now, if I could stop eating the leftover by the spoonful….
Do you think I can use this buttercream to make a swirled rose cake? Will it hold its shape?
Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth. While I’ve never personally tried swirling this into roses, I think it should work. It holds its shape pretty well. Please let us know how it turns out!
I haven’t even got to frosting yet due to the fact my cupcakes flopped. Two things that may have occurred even though I was being careful in these areas. Cupcakes had a great lemon flavor but we’re very dense….did not rise was not fluffy. Should I have had all ingredients at room temperature ? Do I necessarily have to spray liners…maybe I over sprayed. These are the only 2 things I can think of that may have caused them to flop.
Hi Jan. I’m sorry to hear your cupcakes did not turn out. The first two things that come to mind, after reading your description of “flopped” would be one of your ingredients was expired (baking powder/soda/ or flour can all cause baked goods not to rise) or that perhaps your oven temperature was off? The cupcakes are dense but moist, making them a good vessel for frosting.
I made these, and OH MY GAHHHH
seriously, so good. Everything. Everything came out perfectly, your recipe is flawless!
My only question is this: I made these cupcakes for a work party tomorrow. How do I properly store them so the buttercream doesn’t melt?
Thanks again! Definitely sharing 🙂
Hi Skylar. First of all: YAAAAAAYYY!!! SO happy these came out perfect for you 🙂 I love it.
To answer your question – just place cupcakes, covered, in the fridge, then take them out 45 minutes before serving; this will help them come back to room temperature.
Have an awesome work party!
Made this for a bridal shower last weekend and it was amazing! The frosting turned out better than i had imagined, the cake was a little dense (probably from refrigerating it?) but everyone raves over them! Thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Kim! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cupcakes!
Cakes will typically be a little more dense once chilled, so it’s possible they lost some of their “fluff” in the fridge. Thanks for letting us know this recipe was a success 🙂
I just made these for a 4th of July BBQ and followed your instructions exactly. They turned out absolutely perfect! Sometimes when I try to bake using others recipes the cake can end up too dense or the frosting too sweet. This recipe is absolutely perfect! The frosting is delicious and the cake is light and fluffy. You’ve gained a new follower! Thank you for the recipe!
Amber you just made my day! I’m genuinely thrilled to hear these cupcakes will be joining your 4th of July festivities 🙂 And more than that, really happy you’re happy with the results. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.
These look delicious! I hope to make them sometime soon. I will be making for a biggish crowd and was thinking of doubling this recipe. Have you ever done that? I wasn’t sure if it would turn out right, I know sometimes doubling can make it not turn out. Thanks.
So black raspberry’s are ripe in my yard and I wanted to do something with them and came across this recipe. It tastes great I did not have a lemon cake mix but I did have an orange cake mix that I used as a base, I think lemon would have been better but it still was good. I really just wanted to try the icing. I am wondering if you could freeze the reduction for use in the winter do you think that would work? I have a lot of berries.
Hi Tammy. While I’ve never tried freezing it myself, I have a feeling it would work. I would recommend doing a small trial batch and if it’s successful using up the rest of the berries. Good luck! And I would love to hear how it works out.