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Easter just passed and I’m jumping headfirst into Spring with these Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting. My Easter was filled with family, friends, and great food… But this is the week I’ve been looking forward to for an incredibly long time. It’s finally spring break!
Sadly, I can’t go anywhere for spring break this year. Our lacrosse team has three games scheduled over break with teams from California. Luckily, this gives me time to start working on the college application process and whip up some new recipes. Can you believe I’m getting ready to go to college already??
These cupcakes have just the right amount of lemon flavor. Not too much, not too little. They pair nicely with the lemon buttercream frosting. They’re nice and easy to make, too!
I stuck with the yellow theme for these cupcakes. Lemon is the perfect flavor to mix sweet and sour in a dessert. For these cupcakes, that was the way to go. I added in a little bit of yellow food coloring to make the yellow pop more, but you can certainly leave it out if you’re not into using coloring.
Frosting the cupcakes is easy, but it requires patience. With a little care, they look great. Perfect for any sort of event.
Springtime means that it is the beginning of wedding season. Lemon cupcakes make the perfect wedding cupcake recipe. They’re elegant as well as tasty!
Delicious! This lemon cupcake recipe is ideal for any occasion. They look fantastic. I’m no expert at frosting cupcakes, and see how great they look? That goes to show that anyone can make these with great results too!
Lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting are amazing!! They are perfect for any occasion, whether it is casual, formal, or anywhere in-between. They taste fantastic and have the perfect amount of lemon flavor. I’d highly recommend making these and trying them. They do not disappoint!
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
LEMON CUPCAKES:
- 1 box white cake mix (Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, etc.)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1⅓ cups water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
LEMON BUTTER CREAM FROSTING (for 36 cupcakes):
- 9 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups (6 sticks) butter, at room temperature (don't use margarine or shortening)
- 3 teaspoons lemon extract
- 3 to 6 tablespoons whipped cream
- a couple drops of lemon coloring, optional
Instructions
MAKE THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans. You'll need 36.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins (it's a nice, neat way to get the batter into the pans). Fill about ¾ full. Bake about 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set them aside to cool.
PREPARE THE FROSTING:
- Since this recipe includes instructions for making a LOT of frosting to frost all 36 cupcakes, it's probably best to make it in three batches. Plus, doing it this way will ensure that you can make it as you go to see how much you need (based on how much frosting you're putting on the cupcakes).
- Instructions for making in three batches: In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together 3 cups sugar and 2 sticks butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon lemon extract and 1 tablespoon cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding a little more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency. (Repeat for next 2 batches.)
- Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes.
Nutrition
This recipe comes from RecipeBoy.com
Here are a few more cupcake recipes you might enjoy:
- Snickerdoodle Cupcakes by Recipe Girl
- Ravioli Cupcakes by Recipe Boy
- Best Chocolate Cupcakes by I Heart Naptime
This was a hit with family and friends. I did add more lemon juice to frosting for more flavor and I had to add a little more sugar. Very good will be making again. I followed the 3 batch recipe and it was enough for 36 cupcakes. Thank You
Hi Brooks, Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to share another recipe! Best wishes and prayers for God’s best for you in your college / application process. These look delicious, and I look forward to making them soon. Thanks again!
These were a big hit at my daughter’s birthday party! I added lemon zest to the cake batter and frosting! Perfection!
Does it requires nine cups of powder sugar?
yes!
My mom would love this recipe and I want to make it for her but 36 cupcakes is a lot, do you think it’d be fine to only make half the recipe (18 cupcakes)? Divide all ingredients by two?
Please let me know, thanks! 🙂
I think I’d just make them all and put the rest in the freezer for later!
Hello there… can I add lemon juice instead of lemon extract?
I think the general rule is to add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to substitute for 1 teaspoon extract.
Could this be made in a 9″x13″ baking pan or is there going to be too much batter?
Too much batter, but you could always make a few cupcakes with the rest (or use a loaf pan).
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I filled my 3/4 full but they didn’t rise much . The last batch I made sure to fill a little bit more. That seemed to help.
Can this recipe be turned into a Bundt cake?My granddaughter wants a cake for her birthday and this would be perfect
Maybe!