Easy Lemon Cupcakes

Soft and fluffy Lemon Cupcakes made from scratch. These buttery cakes are bursting with real lemon flavour and topped with a creamy homemade lemon buttercream. 

Your new favourite cupcake is HERE 🙌🏻

Lovely Lemon Cupcakes made from soft and tender lemon cake topped with swirls of fluffy, homemade lemon buttercream. They are so light and fluffy, they just about melt-in-your-mouth, just like the best bakery-style cupcake. 

If you love lemon flavoured desserts, you’ll adore these gorgeous luscious Lemon Cupcakes. 

As I get older, I’m becoming more and more convinced that lemon-y desserts are completely underrated, whether it’s Lemon Slice or Lemon Pie.

While I will immediately reach for a piece of chocolate cake or a fudgy brownie, these Lemon Cupcakes truly satisfy.

They’re literally bursting with the zesty fresh lemon flavour and the texture is so outrageously good that you could just eat one after another. Take it from someone who just ate two. 

Just like my Lemon Loaf, these buttery cupcakes have a beautifully soft texture. All thanks to that not-so-secret ingredient, greek yogurt. You could also use sour cream if you like. It’s a wonder in baked goods, ensuring your cakes come out wonderfully soft – long after they’ve exited the oven. 

I also use butter in these cupcakes for extra buttery flavour. And the icing on the cake (get it?!) is the simple lemon frosting. Made with only butter, sugar, lemon juice and milk, it’s fluffy and creamy and oh-so-sweet. 

TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT LEMON CUPCAKES

• These Lemon Cupcakes are really easy to make. You will need an electric mixer.
• Start with room temperature butter. It’s really important to make sure your butter is soft – not fridge cold – otherwise it will be harder to beat and your cupcakes won’t be as light and fluffy.
• Start by beating together the butter, sugar and vanilla. You’ll want to keep mixing until the mixture is pale and creamy – it will take a few minutes. But by taking your time in this step, it will ensure your cupcakes are light and fluffy.
• I recommend using fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum flavour. 
• This recipe calls for natural Greek-style yogurt – don’t use a light or reduced fat yogurt and don’t leave this ingredient out – it will make sure your cupcakes are soft and moist. 
• Mix until just combined – but make sure you don’t over mix. The batter will be thick and creamy. 
• Bake cupcakes for approximately 18 minutes or until golden brown and spring back lightly to the touch. Try not to over bake the cupcakes so they don’t become dry. 

MORE CUPCAKES TO TRY:

• Classic Vanilla Cupcakes
• Caramel Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Cupcakes
• Double Chocolate Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.

Let’s Bake

Easy Lemon Cupcakes

Yield Makes 12 1x

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 14 reviews

Prep: 50 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 1 hour 10 minutes

Soft and fluffy Lemon Cupcakes with a creamy lemon frosting.

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Ingredients

Lemon cupcakes

• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat or whole milk

Lemon buttercream

• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1–2 tablespoons full fat or whole milk, room temperature

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add eggs and beat briefly until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
3. Add half the flour mixture and all the yogurt, along with the lemon juice and zest, and slowly mix together on a low speed. Add the rest of the flour and the milk and mix briefly until smooth and creamy. The mixture will be thick.
4. Spoon out the cake batter into your prepared liners and bake in the oven for approximately 18-20 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To make the frosting, add butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and continue to beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of milk and beat briefly. If the mixture is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of both.
6. Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Decorate with lemon zest.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 cupcake Calories: 438 Sugar: 53.1 g Sodium: 23.8 mg Fat: 17.3 g Carbohydrates: 68.2 g Protein: 4.3 g Cholesterol: 74.4 mg

Nutrition information is a guide only.

Author: Jessica HolmesCategory: CupcakesCuisine: Australia

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Jessica Holmes

Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.