I love a fresh and lemony taste and scent when I am baking. These Lemon Cupcakes are the perfect balance of a classic vanilla cupcake with a touch of freshly squeezed lemons. I made these cupcakes for the first time for my daughter’s second birthday, where I added a pink lemonade frosting to match the tea party theme. Everyone raved about how much they loved them; I think everyone remembers the cupcakes more than the party! They’re simply the best.
Since they were such a crowd pleaser, I made them today for my husband’s birthday. Only this time, I did not use pink food coloring and I added a dash of fresh lemon zest to make lemon frosting. These are the perfect cupcakes for any celebration. They are eaten and devoured by kids and adults alike. Regardless of the occasion, your guests will be coming back for seconds (and thirds, and fourths…)
I love that these cupcakes allow me to get creative and that no two batches are every the same. Every time I made it, I try to add something new or make some sort of change. It keeps me on my toes while I bake! While this time I opted for lemon frosting, you can do a classic vanilla frosting, or even make a tangy raspberry treat. The possibilities are endless!
Lemon Cupcake Ingredients:
This recipe is so simple! The whole process only takes 25 minutes. You will get to enjoy your delicious dessert in no time. Also, the ingredient list is relatively basic and won’t require a huge grocery store haul, so it’s a win-win. Here is everything you need to stock your kitchen to make your Lemon Cupcakes:
Lemon Cupcake Ingredients
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Butter (substitute margarine for a dairy-free option)
- White Sugar
- Two Large Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Extract
- Milk (substitute water for a dairy-free option)
- One Lemon (for the lemon zest)
Lemon Frosting Ingredients
- Butter or Margarine
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk (you can also use your favorite milk alternative)
- Lemon Juice
I love using fresh lemon juice to really get that lemon taste. It will truly elevate your cupcake game and make for an amazing taste. This, along with the lemon zest, will your dessert freshness and a taste that will blow everyone away. Also, the fact that you can make this dish dairy free and delicious will even please your vegan and lactose-intolerant friends. Everyone wins with my Lemon Cupcakes!
Rolled in Dough – Bake with Kids:
This is the perfect dish to make for your children. Kids absolutely love cupcakes, probably because they love the sweetness of the frosting. You can also make these cupcakes as mini cupcakes for kid-friendly bites. Better yet, you can even let them pitch in and join in on the fun. Here is what your kids can do to help out in the kitchen:
- Your kids can put the cupcakes liners on the tin.
- You can let your kids mix the ingredients together for the cupcake batter.
- The kids can mix the ingredients for the frosting.
- Let your kids frost their cupcakes! They’ll love trying out different design and, of course, licking the frosting spoon at the end.
And don’t worry, no one will break the news to your kids that cupcakes are pretty much just muffins with frosting. Down the line, you’ll have to show them the Peach Crumble Muffins.
You can make these for a child’s party, just like I did. Feel free to buy fun and themed cupcake liners to elevate the aesthetic and serve them on your cutest plates. You can even add some food coloring to make them cupcakes that the kids will never forget. Regardless if you add fun extras, everyone will love these Lemon Cupcakes.
Now, you are ready to get started in the kitchen. Check out the official Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting recipe below. Happy baking!
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Simply the Zest – Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
These are the simplest, yet tastiest Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting. You can make them dairy-free, too!
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes:
- 1 1/4 cups of Flour
- 1 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp of Salt
- 1/4 cup of Butter (or margarine for dairy free)
- 3/4 cup of White Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp of Lemon Extract
- 1/4 cup of Milk (or water if you want dairy free)
- 1 tbsp of Lemon Zest (using 1 lemon)
Lemon Frosting:
- 1/2 cup of Butter or Margarine
- 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 2 to 3 cups of Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsp of Milk or non-dairy milk
- 1 tbsp of Lemon Juice
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Place your cupcake liners in the cupcake pan.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, add the butter and sugar and mix until it is a light and fluffy texture.
- Add eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, whole milk, lemon zest, and juice to the mixer bowl. Mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the other bowl. Add slowly until it is well-combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner until it is 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on whether you are making mini cupcakes or regular size).
For the Frosting:
- Combine all ingredients for the frosting in an electric mixer bowl.
- Add more powdered sugar or wet ingredients until your mixture is at its desired consistency.
- After the cupcakes are ready and cooled, top the cupcakes with the frosting with a piping bag. Garnish with lemon zest.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 291
- Sugar: 32.5
- Sodium: 147mg
- Fat: 12.6g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6g
- Carbohydrates: 43.1
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 2.7g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
Craving some more lemon in your diet? Check out our Dairy Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies, our Lemon Meringue Tart, and our Lemon Loaf Cake with Lemon Icing and Fresh Strawberries.
Want some more fruity and fun desserts? Check out our Apple Galette with Date Syrup, our Peach Crumble Muffins, our Pavlova with Cream and Strawberries, and our Nectarine Turnovers with Icing.