Lemon Cupcakes Recipe with Lemon Frosting
Easy and moist lemon cupcakes topped with lemon flavor frosting and garnished with lemon wedges for a delicious citrus pairing!
This post is sponsored by Maytag. All opinions are my own.
There are a few things in life that always bring me joy. And two of those happen to be freshly baked cupcakes and a happy kitchen. We’ve partnered with Maytag to bring you both. After renovating the garage apartment kitchen with all new Maytag® kitchen appliances, it’s high time to enjoy some baking!
Our lemon cupcakes deliver a burst of citrus flavor with minimal effort. No fancy tools needed. Light, moist, and perfectly paired with a creamy lemon frosting, these cakes are ideal for spring celebrations and summer parties alike.
Ingredients Needed
Room temperature ingredients make for fluffier cupcakes. Cold eggs or butter can cause the batter to curdle or bake unevenly. So leave all your ingredients out 30 minutes ahead of time for best results.
For the lemon cupcakes:
- Self-rising flour — If using all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder. For a gluten-free friendly recipe, swap in a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. Results may be slightly denser, but still delicious.
- Unsalted butter — Softened to room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Milk
- Large eggs
- Fresh lemon juice — Or substitute with lemon extract
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
For the lemon frosting:
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice — Or substitute with lemon extract
- Mint sprig — Optional for garnishing
- Lemon wedge — Optional for garnishing
Tools Needed
To make lemon cupcakes, you’ll need measuring cups, an electric mixer, and a spatula or piping bag for icing your cupcakes.
Most importantly though, the perfect baking companions are Maytag® kitchen appliances! We’re loving our new Maytag® Electric Range with True Convection. It has Power Preheat, which helps you start baking sooner, while true convection with a third heating element lets you bake and enjoy your cupcakes faster!
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
1 — Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2 — Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (for about 2 to 3 minutes).
3 — Add the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure a smooth mixture.
4 — Mix wet ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt.
5 — Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
6 — Alternate mixing: With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in batches, alternating with half the milk and half of the lemon juice mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Repeat until everything is fully combined.
7 — Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. (Fill liners 3/4 full.) Bake for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8 — Cool completely: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Lemon Frosting Recipe
1 — Whip: In a medium bowl, mix the heavy cream with an electric mixer on low until it begins to thicken. Then, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until fully combined.
2 — Peak: Once you’ve added all of the ingredients into the mixer, increase the speed and whisk until the icing forms soft peaks. This should take about 5 minutes or so.
3 — Decorate: Spread or pipe your finished icing onto the room temperature cupcakes and freeze or refrigerate any extra. Add a small mint sprig and a fresh lemon wedge for garnishing, or even sprinkles!
Alternatively, another delicious frosting option is our popular Italian meringue buttercream frosting.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Zest is best!: For a stronger lemon flavor, add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter and frosting. It adds a natural citrus punch that complements the juice.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: Gently fold in the flour and milk to avoid dense cupcakes. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks. Proper mixing (alternating dry and wet) boosts fluffiness and prevents dense cupcakes.
- Frosting: Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. Otherwise, the icing will melt.
- No piping bag? No problem: Use a zip-top bag with the tip snipped off or a small offset spatula to spread the frosting easily.
- Make it ahead-friendly: Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store in an airtight container. Whip the frosting fresh for best texture, or refrigerate it for up to 2 days and rewhip slightly before using.
- Customize the garnish: Try topping with edible flowers, sugared lemon slices, or even crushed freeze-dried raspberries for a pretty (and tasty) twist.
- Want even more lemon flavor? Brush warm cupcakes with a lemon simple syrup (1:1 lemon juice and sugar simmered) for a tart, moist bite.
How to Store Lemon Cupcakes
- Unfrosted: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. We highly recommend that you finish your cupcakes by then since keeping them in the refrigerator will cause them to dry out and lose their moisture.
- Frosted: Store refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.
More Easy Cupcake Recipes to Try
- Classic Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
- Classic Coca-Cola Cupcakes
- Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Hot Chocolate Frosting
Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- Cupcake pan with liners
- Mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Spatula or pipping bag
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cup self-rising flour if using all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or 1/2 tbsp of lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the frosting:
- 2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or 1/2 tablespoon of lemon extract
- 1 lemon wedge optional for garnishing
- 1 mint sprig optional for garnishing
Nutrition
Instructions
To make the lemon cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup cupcake with liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (for about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure a smooth mixture.
- In a small bowl, stir together the wet ingredients: vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour and baking powder.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in batches, alternating with half the milk and half of the lemon juice mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Repeat until everything is fully combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (3/4 full). Bake for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the lemon frosting:
- In a medium bowl, mix the heavy cream with an electric mixer on low until it begins to thicken. Then, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until fully combined.
- Once you’ve added all of the ingredients into the mixer, increase the speed and whisk until the icing forms soft peaks. This should take about 5 minutes or so.
- Spread or pipe your finished icing onto the room temperature cupcakes and freeze or refrigerate any extra.
- Optional: Add a small mint sprig and a fresh lemon wedge for garnishing, or even sprinkles!
*Visit maytag.com for warranty details.
Tried this recipe? Share your Lemon Cupcakes with us on Instagram, using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Find them all right here!
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