Easy Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream have a zingy lemon flavor in both the cupcakes and the buttercream for a sweet and tart flavor. I also have Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes which feature the same lemon cupcake base paired with sweet and fruity strawberry buttercream. Check out all of my cupcake recipes for even more varieties!
Ingredients & Substitutions
There are two parts to this recipe–the cupcakes and the frosting.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients (specifically butter, eggs, and milk in this recipe) will help you get the best results when baking the muffins and making the buttercream.
Butter: Use unsalted butter in both the cupcakes and buttercream. Unsalted butter gives the cupcakes a better texture and it also allows you, the baker, to have control over the amount of salt.
Lemon Juice: For the best lemon flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon Extract: When adding the lemon extract to the buttercream, start with just 1 teaspoon, tasting as you go. Remember, the buttercream with the cupcakes will give you a full blast of lemon flavor!
Food Coloring: You don’t have to add yellow food coloring to the buttercream. However, the yellow buttercream makes this treat look like sunshine and really can brighten your day! Or, go for a totally contrasting color for a real statement!
How to Pipe the Frosting
To pipe the frosting on top, just fill your pastry bag fitted with an 8B tip. Starting at the center, apply pressure and then move the bag around the cupcake. If you want a tall frosting swirl, apply pressure and then build it up by going around 3 times. Easy peasy!
How to Store Lemon Cupcakes
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last 4-5 days.
Can I Freeze Lemon Cupcakes?
Yes! Freeze the cupcakes before they are frosted with the buttercream. To freeze, let the cupcakes cool completely before storing them in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Let them thaw in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy or frost them.
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ cup (122.5 g) whole milk, room temperature, divided
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
Lemon Buttercream*
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1-3 teaspoons lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons whole milk, or more as needed
- 5 drops yellow food coloring, more or less as desired
- 2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, beating each egg until fully incorporated after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Beat until combined.
- To the butter mixture, add about ⅓ of the flour mixture. Next, add half of the milk and lemon juice. Repeat the steps, ending with the flour mixture. Beat until just combined, making sure not to overmix.
- Fill the prepared cupcake liners about ¾ full. Bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream.
Lemon Buttercream*
- To a large mixing bowl, add butter, lemon extract, and milk. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat ingredients together until smooth. If desired, add yellow food coloring.
- Add confectioners' sugar into butter mixture and beat on low speed until desired consistency is reached. You may want to add more sugar.
- Frost each cupcake with the buttercream.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Hi!!! I am hoping to make this into a cake, about four layers, haven’t decided yet as I haven’t seen what the “dough” looks like in proportion. I hope this works as I am not a fan of cupcakes. I dislike edges lol. (give me the middle piece!) I did choose a different recipe for the buttercream though as my lemon extract is expired. (I’m scared to use it plus, I’d rather have all lemon, LOVE LEMON IN THE SUMMER!!) All I wish for is luck and I will let ya know how it turns out!! Yes, I have self rising flour and yes, everything is setting now to get to room temp!!! (To the oven!!!)
These sound so yummy! Can’t wait to make them. I was reading the recipe for the frosting….are you sure it is only 1 c. powder sugar? That doesn’t seem possible to icing 30 cupcakes. Maybe a typo?
Can lemon juice be used to substitute extract?
I really wish you would print your recipes i
In U.k measurements as well I have no idea what the equivalent is
I recommend putting g the cup equavelent of grams in paranthese, less confusing.
Hello! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs!
Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Keep up the superb work!
I do love all your recipes but I’m in the UK and wish you could do pounds and ounces please
Can you use regular flour? Or how can you make it?
1. Why would you use unsalted butter for the batter then add salt?
2. Use unsalted butter for the lemon cream. leave out all the artificial stuff. (No need for food colouring, for example.)
3. I would use the buttercream for filling and top with whipped fresh cream for a luxurious topping. 🙂
Hi, Cheryl! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. It is common to use unsalted butter in recipes and add a little salt. Salted butter is sometimes not as fresh as unsalted butter, and you never know exactly how much salt is used in salted butter because it can vary quite a bit. Have a great day!
Not sure what I did wrong, I have been a hobby baker for well over 20 years and tried these Lemon cupcakes for the 1st time today. They turned out awful and I can’t figure out what I did???? I love your recipes but this one I failed at miserably. I was very surprised that it did not have any baking powder or soda in it. Did I miss something? Please help!
Oh dear! Can you tell me what made the awful? Was it the taste, texture, crumb, consistency???