We almost always have lemons in the house – they’re just one of those items I impulsively swipe up Β every time we hit the grocery store. They’re so affordable year round, and I love the bright, sunshiny kick their juice and zest add toβ¦ well, everything!Β So naturally, when I discovered we had an absurd amount of lemons sitting around the apartment (19 to be exact!), I immediately knew I had to make you guys some light and lovely lemon cupcakes! It just made sense π
For this fun recipe I added lemon juice and zest to the cupcake batter, as well as the buttercream – for a luscious lemon cupcake you’re sure to love! The cupcakes are soft, tender, and a million miles away from dry; the buttercream is light, fluffy, and laced with a perky lemon kick sure to please. We gifted these to our neighbors as well as the folks who run our favorite coffee shop, and it was applause all around – these cupcakes are winners!
I added extra lemon zest to the top of each cupcake before serving – for an extra kick of color and zing – but it’s not a necessary step π Just a fun one! xoxo
Light and Lovely Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 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 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
For the Lemon Buttercream:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (very soft)
- 4-5 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12 mold muffin tin with paper liners; 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 whites; mix well to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat melted butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined; about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and lemon zest 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 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before topping with frosting.
To make the Lemon Buttercream:
- Beat butter until light and fluffy. Slowly, add 4 cups of sugar, beating on low until well combined. Add in lemon juice, zest, and cream; beat until combined. Add additional confectioners sugar as needed, stopping when you've reached your desired consistency. Place frosting in piping bag, or simply slather onto cooled cupcakes.
NB says
Made a double batch of these for my nieces pink lemonade bday party and they were a HIT!!! They not only looked awesome but they taste ridiculously good!!! Will definitely make again!!! Thx!!!
Maegan says
I have made the cupcakes and they were perfect! Im wanting to make this into a cake, but am unsure of the size pans to use and should i double the recipe?
julia says
i just made them they are delicious
bakerbynature says
Hi Julia! That’s AWESOME π So happy you enjoyed them.
Sabrina Tavares says
Should the batter be a bit lumpy?
bakerbynature says
Hi Sabrina. My batter is not typically lumpy. How did they turn out?
Zainab says
Hello,
Just made this cupcakes and before decorate I thought “lemme try”.. and I realised that they didnt get that texture.. they became a bit “massive” inside π
The flavour is great but they didnt increase well and got a bit heavy.. I dont what happened π
bakerbynature says
Hi Zainab. Could you explain what you mean by massive and heavy?
Zainab says
Sorry, my english is very bad..
How can I explain.. the cake wasnt light and fluffy.. it was a bit dense.. π
bakerbynature says
I see. Yes I think the batter may have been mixed for too long; that is usually the culprit when cakes come out dense. Did you follow the ingredients/instructions as is? Or did you make some substitutions?
Sylvia says
Hello…my batter did not come out very well. The cupcakes were extremely dense. I did not overbeat because I was trying to avoid having this issue. Any suggestions? I was really hoping they would be light and lovely but mine were neither. And I really do like anything lemon…please advise.
bakerbynature says
Hi Sylvia. It could be a few things… did you pack your cake flour or lightly spoon it into the measuring cup? Also, does your oven run high? Over baking the cupcakes could definitely make them dense.
Amber says
I’ve never written a food review before, but this time I just had to! My four year-old wanted pink lemonade cupcakes for her birthday so I made these and dyed the frosting pink. They are perfect and I’m so happy! They’re just the right amount of lemon and the cake texture is awesome ( I’ve never made a homemade cake before)! Thank you so much for the recipe! Now let’s hope everyone at her party likes lemon
bakerbynature says
Hi Amber. It means so much to me that you took time out of your busy life to write this review π Thank you for that! I hope your daughter has a wonderful birthday!
Dee says
They came out perfect!!! Picky boys and hubby loved the cupcakes!
bakerbynature says
Hi Dee! So happy to hear it. I love these lemon cupcakes too π
kelsey says
does this recipe just make a dozen cupcakes??
bakerbynature says
Hi Kelsey. You should get about 15 cupcakes from this recipe π
MICHELLE says
These look deliscious. I plan to make them for a dinner party and would like to know if its ok to make them 2 days head of time. Just the cake part.
bakerbynature says
Hi Michelle. You can make the cupcakes ahead of time and flash freeze them. Just take them out of the freezer a few hours before you plan to frost and decorate them.
Laiza says
Hi, What if we are unable to flash freeze them? Can we freeze them normally or refrigerate them ?
bakerbynature says
Hi Laiza. Flash freezing just means putting them in the freezer right after baking (while they’re still warm). You can do this by placing them on a plate and in the freezer, then once they’re hard, putting them in an airtight bag or container. I do not recommend refrigerating them for more than a few hours, and if you do, be sure to bring them to room temperature before eating π