These Raspberry Cupcakes are made with a soft and tender lemon cake base, a sweet surprise of raspberry jam swirled in the center, and a cloud-like raspberry buttercream on top. They’re the epitome of spring and summer, with sweet and tangy flavors complemented by a luscious frosting.
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Jam-Filled Centers
These raspberry-filled cupcakes are super easy to make and have the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor. They’re great for spring and summer potlucks, baby showers, bridal showers, Valentine’s day or any time when you need a vibrant dessert. You can even make them ahead of time.
If you’ve ever wondered what spring and summer would taste like as a dessert, these Raspberry Cupcakes are it. Bright lemon cupcakes are filled with sweet raspberry jam and topped with a velvety raspberry buttercream frosting.
The cupcakes are made from scratch using basic pantry staples and buttermilk to make them super light and tender. The swirl of raspberry jam is perfect with the lemon cupcake.
The raspberry buttercream frosting is what ties these cupcakes together. It’s made with fresh raspberries for a burst of raspberry flavor, butter, and powdered sugar. It’s super thick, so it’s great for piping onto the cupcakes. If you’re not a fan of buttercream, you can use a lemon cream cheese frosting or a lemon meringue frosting instead.
What Makes These Cupcakes So Special
- Bright: Lemon cupcakes paired with raspberry jam and raspberry buttercream frosting create a bright dessert filled with sweet and tart flavors in every bite.
- Easy: This recipe may look complicated, but it’s just as easy to make as any other cupcake recipe.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can make them ahead of time and store them in the freezer.
5 Key Elements to the Perfect Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
You need 5 basic ingredients to get started with this recipe. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list.
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest gives a burst of citrusy flavor, making these cupcakes extra refreshing and bright. It adds an aromatic, fresh kick.
- Lemon juice: The acidity of lemon juice helps balance the sweetness of the cake and brings a zingy flavor to the cupcakes.
- Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and makes the cupcakes moist and tender. You can learn how to make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any.
- Raspberry jam or preserves: Adds fruity flavor right in the middle of each bite. Feel free to use store-bought or homemade jam or preserves. You can swap this out with other fruit jams that pair well with lemon, like strawberry, blackberry, or blueberry.
- Fresh raspberries: Pureed raspberries give the frosting a fresh, fruity flavor. Fresh or frozen raspberries will work. If using frozen raspberries, make sure to thaw them first. You can swap these out with other berries like strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries if you like.
Simple Steps to Making Raspberry Cupcakes From Scratch
Step One: Make the Batter
Tip: Use room temperature ingredients so everything blends smoothly. If you forget to let your butter sit out, you can soften butter quickly.
Step Two: Add the Raspberry Jam
Step Three: Bake the Cupcakes
Step Four: Make the Frosting
Step Five: Frost and Enjoy
Make Sure Your Cupcakes Stay Moist
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, pop them in the freezer.
Don’t Forget!
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks room temp
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lemons
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 12 teaspoons raspberry jam
Frosting
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup butter room temp
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add ¾ cups of butter and beat until smooth. Add 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar and lemon zest and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Combine lemon juice and buttermilk in a measuring cup.
- Alternately add the flour and buttermilk mixture to the batter, mixing just until combined, don’t over mix.
- Add about a tablespoon of batter to each muffin cup. Top with a teaspoon of raspberry jam. Add the remaining batter to the top.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a food processor or blender, process the raspberries until smooth.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the salt and mix to combine. Turn to low speed and add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the processed raspberries, beating until smooth after each addition. Turn to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Notes
- You can substitute other berries for the raspberries.
