Triple Lemon Cupcakes (fluffy and moist)

Lemon Cupcakes! Need I say more? These lemon cupcakes are tangy, and sweet, and have the perfect fluffy moist crumb.

Why You’ll Love These

Lemon cupcakes are the perfect spring treat, right?

These homemade lemon cupcakes are bursting with fresh lemon flavor!

They are simple and easy to make.

This recipe makes 24 luscious cupcakes. Perfect to share with friends and neighbors.

Do you love lemon desserts as much as we do? Try our lemon sandwich cookies, lemon orange pound cake, Meyer lemon bundt cake, and lemon cheesecake bars with shortbread crust.

Cupcake Ingredients

  • Cake flour, baking powder, and salt – Cake flour produces a lighter cake texture than all-purpose flour.
  • Buttermilk – Adds moisture and flavor.
  • Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter lets you control the salt. The sodium level differs in each brand of butter.
  • Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
  • Egg whites – This recipe uses 4 large-size egg whites at room temperature.
  • Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest – For the best fresh lemon flavor.
  • Vanilla extract and lemon extract – To boost the flavor.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter – Softened.
  • Cream cheese – Lends a tangy flavor to the icing.
  • Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt – These add additional fresh citrus flavor to the cupcakes.
  • Powdered sugar – For volume and sweetness.
Lemon Cupcakes on a wire rack.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes

Prepare cupcake tins (muffin tins) by using cupcake liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl to use a hand mixer) and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.

Add the butter and, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy.

Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon juice, then add one-third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.

Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.

Frosted Lemon Cupcakes lined up on a wire rack.

Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Beat the batter for about 2 minutes to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Don’t worry they won’t be tough and dense.

Divide the batter equally into the muffin pans.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cupcakes should be well-risen and springy to the touch.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the lemon buttercream frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, thoroughly mix together the room temperature butter and cream cheese.

Add the lemon juice, zest, and salt and mix to combine. On low speed, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until you reach the desired spreading consistency.

To finish, frost the cooled cupcakes and serve. You can put the frosting on with an offset spatula or place it in a piping bag.

Tips

  • Always use room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk. They will incorporate better and lend a lighter more even-textured cake.
  • Use fresh lemon juice and zest. Please don’t use bottled lemon juice.
  • Always measure flour properly. Aerate the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level off.

FAQs

How long will these cupcakes last?

The frosted cupcakes will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Can I freeze cupcakes?

Yes, you can freeze the cupcakes unfrosted. The cream cheese frosting does not freeze well. Wrap unfrosted cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then proceed with the frosting as instructed.

Can these be made ahead?

Yes! They are even better the next day, so if you have the time make them ahead.

More Delicious Cupcake Recipes

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Lemon cupcakes on a wire rack.

Lemon Cupcakes Recipe

Perfect Spring dessert. Tangy, sweet, and a tender moist crumb!
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 247kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

For the cupcakes:

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • lemon zest of two lemons
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 8 tablespoons, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the icing:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • Juice and zest from 2 lemons
  • Generous pinch of salt
  • 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    2 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
    1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 4 large egg whites
  • Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
    1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon zest of two lemons, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • Beat in the extracts and lemon juice, then add one-third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract, 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
  • Give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Icing

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, thoroughly mix together the butter and cream cheese. Add the lemon juice, zest, and salt and mix to combine. On low speed, add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time until you reach the desired spreading consistency. To finish, frost the cooled cupcakes and serve.
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 oz cream cheese, Juice and zest from 2 lemons, Generous pinch of salt, 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Adapted from trialsinfood

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70 Comments

  1. Hi and welcome to Thriving on Thursdays linky party. Thanks so much for linking up last week. Your lemon cupcakes look so gorgeous. I want to eat one right now. I’m featuring your post at tomorrow’s party. Thanks for coming and I hope to see you again.

    Anne @ Domesblissity5 stars

  2. Your Lemon Cupcakes look amazing! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen5 stars

  3. Oh I love all things lemon! These look great. Featured at Be Inspired this morning. Thanks so much for sharing!

  4. Oh my goodness these look absolutely amazing I have a soft spot for lemon and cupcakes right up my street. Great food styling too. Thanks for the continual support of my linky and blog as it gets quieter and quieter I am hoping to turn it around and save SWM. #sharewithme5 stars

  5. I love lemon flavored desserts! I’m totally making these this weekend! Pinning! #ShareWithMe

  6. They look delicious. I love lemon flavored desserts. Thank you for sharing with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! Hope to see you again this week!5 stars

  7. Your Lemon Cupcakes look beautiful! Love the cream cheese icing and the cake would be so moist with the buttermilk too. Pinned and shared. Thank you for bringing this little taste of spring to the Hearth and Soul Hop.5 stars

  8. I love lemon cupcakes and these look so very good. Cream cheese icing is one of my favorite toppings. It’s hard to imagine that these wouldn’t taste amazing. Yum!

    Sally @ Life Loving
    #LifeLovingLinkie

  9. Oh my!! My 13 year-old would LOVE these!! She loves lemon cake and cookies 🙂 I may have to make these for her.
    Thanks for sharing with us at #MMBH!
    xoxo

  10. First of all, I love these sweet little lemony beauties. Second, you’ve helped me solve a major problem! I really want to become a better baker. One thing that’s holding me back is I just can’t have baked goods lying around the house all the time. I would be a house in no time flat as I have zero will power. I never thought to send them off with my husband to bring to work! Genius! Thanks for linking up at Saucy Saturdays.5 stars

    1. I’m glad I could be of service, Christine! hehe I send most of my baked goods to his office or neighbors. They are too tempting to keep around the house.

  11. these look absolutely amazing, found your recipe through the link party and decided to shared and pinned, keep making great food!5 stars

  12. These look delicious – lemon is my favourite flavour for cake, jam, tart – whatever – the tarter the better! But cupcakes and lemon drizzle drizzle are my absolute favourite. Will give this recipe a try 🙂 #Sharewithme5 stars

  13. These look so lovely! (And are making me crave cake, which can only be a good thing! 🙂 #sharewithme5 stars

  14. These look divine. I just want to run my finger in that frosting. Glad you shared on Tuesday Talk today. Adding to my recipe file.

  15. Yum thanks for sharing. I posted a lemon bread recipie for one of my posts today. I love the flavor of lemon its really good. Have a great day.

  16. These look SO light and fresh! Perfect for a dessert at a brunch! Pinning and sharing!

  17. I absolutely love lemon anything – anytime – hmmm may have to make some of these for our superbowl party! thanks for sharing your post at #TGISaturdays

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