Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream cover

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Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, for cupcakes)

1 tbsp canola oil

1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract(for cupcakes)

2 lemons(zested, for cupcakes)

3 eggs

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt(for cupcakes)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¾ cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter(1 cup is 8 oz., softened, for frosting)

¼ cup cream cheese(1/4 cup is 2 oz., softened)

1 lemon(zested, for frosting)

4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract(for frosting)

3 tablespoons heavy cream(plus more as needed)

⅛ tsp salt(for frosting)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line two 12-cavity muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.

Place the butter, canola oil, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Reserve the lemons for later use. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream ingredients together on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and continue to beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Pour in the lemon juice. Beat the mixture on low until ingredients begin to come together. Slowly stream in the milk and continue mixing, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until a smooth batter forms.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling each liner no more than 2/3 full.

Bake the cupcakes on middle rack of oven until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 18-21 minutes.

Check to see that cupcakes are done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.

Allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature before frosting.

While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Place the butter, cream cheese, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar to butter mixture in two additions, beating on low speed after each until sugar is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla, heavy cream, and salt to the bowl. Continue beating on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in more heavy cream if frosting appears too thick.

Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video Tutorial Bite Tutorial

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Zest Before Juicing 🍋
Always zest your lemons before cutting them in half to juice, as whole lemons are much easier to zest than halved ones. This maximizes your lemon flavor in both the cake and frosting.
Room Temperature Ingredients 🌡️
Bring eggs, butter, and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to ensure proper emulsification and a light, fluffy cupcake crumb. Cold ingredients create lumpy batter and dense cupcakes.
Don't Overmix the Batter 🥄
Mix dry ingredients separately, then fold them gently into wet ingredients just until combined to avoid activating gluten, which results in tough, dense cupcakes. Stop as soon as you see no white streaks.
Acidic Balance Technique ⚖️
The combination of fresh lemon juice and zest provides brightness, but add a pinch of baking soda to the batter to neutralize excess acidity and prevent a bitter aftertaste while maintaining tanginess.
Chill Frosting for Perfect Swirls 🧊
Refrigerate your lemon buttercream for 15-20 minutes after making it so it reaches the ideal consistency for piping beautiful, stable swirls that won't melt or droop.