Light, fluffy, and bursting with citrus, these lemon cupcakes come together quickly for a bright, tangy treat. A simple batter with sour cream and cake flour make a tender and moist cupcake that’s ready to be swirled with a smooth lemon cream cheese frosting. Lemon zest adds a fresh kick, while the creamy topping melts into each bite.
Moist and Fluffy Lemon Cupcakes
When you want a cupcake with a burst of citrus in every bite, these are the cupcakes for you. Sour Cream gives them extra moisture and cake flour keeps them light. Both lemon juice and zest give the cupcake alone a citrusy flavor.
Don’t stop there, top it all off with the creamiest lemon cream cheese frosting, firm enough to pipe and hard not to eat by the spoonfuls.
Whether it’s sunny and warm and you need a dessert for a picnic, or everything is covered in snow and you need a bright pick-me-up, it’s always time to bring out lemon desserts. Make a batch of these and some rich chocolate cream cheese cupcakes for a nice contrast of flavors for a dessert bar.
The batter for these zesty cupcakes comes together like any other cupcake batter and uses basic pantry staples. You can have them in the oven in 15 minutes.
If you want to mix-and-match flavors, try adding a strawberry cream cheese frosting, or a creamy raspberry buttercream, lemon and berries are a great combination.
The lemon cream cheese frosting is my favorite part. It’s a variation of a classic cream cheese frosting. The difference is we’re adding fresh lemon juice and zest. It took a few tries to come up with a frosting that tasted lemony but was still thick enough to pipe.
Of course, you can just spread it on with a knife but sometimes, it’s fun to get out the piping tips!
Before You Get Started
- Room temperature: Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature to help everything blend easily without lumps. If you’re short on time, you can quickly soften cream cheese and soften butter.
- Cake flour: If you don’t have cake flour, you can easily make your own using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. For every cup of all-purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace it with two tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture a few times to fully incorporate and lighten the texture.
- Scrape: Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the cupcake batter and frosting to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. If you don’t, you may end up with uneven cupcakes or frosting.
- Electric mixer: It’s recommended to use an electric mixer for the most even results, but a hand mixer will work in a pinch.
- Zesting: Use a microplane grater for the finest zest. Lightly run the lemon across the grater, rotating as you go. Avoid the bitter white pith underneath.
- Juicing: Roll the lemon on the counter while pressing down to loosen the juices before cutting. This helps get the most juice out.
- Remove seeds: Squeeze the lemon over a small strainer or your fingers to catch any seeds before they drop into your bowl.
- Over bake: Don’t over bake. Test with a toothpick, and remove them when just set.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before piping to firm it up.
Lemon Cupcake Ingredients
A full list of ingredients can be found below in the Recipe Card.
- Cake flour: This is finer and has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, producing a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Pantry staples: Baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Dairy: Unsalted Butter, eggs, sour cream, milk and cream cheese. These keep the cupcakes rich and moist and the frosting rich adn creamy.
- Lemon zest and juice: Fresh lemon juice and zest give the cupcakes and frosting a bright lemon flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. In a separate cup, combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside.
Step Two: Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the vanilla.
Mix in the sour cream and lemon zest, then alternate, adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Step Three: Bake the Cupcakes
Scoop the batter into the muffin tin and bake until slightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack before frosting.
Step Four: Make the Frosting
Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. For best results, chill the frosting for a few minutes before piping.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Fridge: Frosted cupcakes should be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them sit at room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze cupcakes for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
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Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs room temp
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup milk
Frosting
- ½ cup butter room temp
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 12 ounces cream cheese room temp
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line 15 muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add Vanilla.
- Add sour cream and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Alternate add the dry ingredients with the milk mixture, beating just until combined. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin pan, filling about two thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
Frosting
- With an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon zest and salt and beat until incorporated. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and beat until light and fluffy. If it is too runny, add more powdered sugar. Refrigerate for a few minutes if piping.
