Lemon Cupcakes

Homemade Lemon Cupcakes are moist and fluffy and full of sweet lemon flavor. Every bite tastes like sunshine! These cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert, topped with creamy lemon buttercream frosting made with tangy buttermilk. 

Love lemon desserts? Try my favorite Lemon Blueberry Cake or this Lemon Coconut Cake, too!

Mouthwatering Homemade Lemon Cupcakes

I’m always blown away by how fresh and delicious these lemon cupcakes are. I don’t make lemon desserts too often, but when I do, I’m hooked after the first bite.

I just know you’ll be just as obsessed as I am. These easy lemon cupcakes are supremely moist, spongy, rich, yet oh-so-fluffy. I’ve topped my cupcakes with creamy lemon buttermilk frosting that is to die for. It’s the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. 

The lemony flavors of these frosted cupcakes just dance on the tastebuds. It’s an experience. If there was one way to encapsulate sunshine in a dessert, it’s with this bright and cheerful lemon cupcakes recipe!

Key Ingredients

The handful of ingredients that give these lemon cupcakes their flavor includes lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, and buttermilk to enhance the tanginess. Here’s a quick overview of these and a few other key ingredients, with the full details available in the recipe card at the very bottom of this post.

For the Lemon Cupcakes

• Oil – As in cakes, using vegetable oil in place of butter is key to a moist and airy cupcake crumb. 
• Lemons – You’ll need the juice and zest from 3 fresh lemons since we’ll use the zest to naturally flavor both the cupcakes and the frosting. I have an easy tutorial on How to Zest a Lemon if needed.
• Lemon Extract – Lemon extract enhances the overall flavor of the cupcakes. If you don’t have lemon extract, use pure vanilla extract instead or replace with additional lemon juice.
• Sour Cream – This keeps these cupcakes especially moist. You can substitute the sour cream in this recipe with regular plain or Greek yogurt.
• Buttermilk – I use buttermilk in the cupcakes and in the frosting, and the results are tangy and delicious! If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use a homemade buttermilk substitute (see below), or If you’re really pressed, use regular milk instead.

What If I Don’t Have Buttermilk?

If you don’t have buttermilk, no problem. You can use my Buttermilk Substitute made from lemon juice (since you’ll have plenty of lemons handy!) or vinegar. 

All you do is add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup, and pour in enough milk to make 1 cup. After, let the mixture sit and curdle for 5-10 minutes, then give it a stir. That’s it! Homemade buttermilk that’s just like the real thing.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes

The lemon cupcakes themselves are really simple. Since these are oil-based, there’s no need to wait for butter to soften, and no creaming involved. The batter comes together in a snap:

1. Mix the wet ingredients. First, combine granulated sugar with the eggs, oil, and lemon extract and beat until combined. Mix in the sour cream along with the lemon zest.
2. Mix the dry ingredients and combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and lemon juice. Mix on low speed until the flour is combined. Give the batter a good stir with a spatula.
3. Fill the cupcake liners. Next, you’ll divide the batter evenly between your cupcake liners, about ⅔ full. I prefer using a large cookie scoop for this.
4. Bake. Bake the cupcakes at 350ºF for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before you frost them.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

I absolutely love this lemon frosting. As in the cupcakes, I use lemon zest, lemon extract, and buttermilk to bring lots of fresh, bright citrus flavor and a bit of tang to the frosting.

If you opted not to buy buttermilk for the cupcakes, I’d recommend replacing it with either lemon juice or milk rather than making the homemade option.

1. Beat the butter. My recipe calls for cold butter. This is not a mistake! It’s my secret to making the perfect frosting consistently. Instead of waiting for the butter to soften, let your mixer do the work. Be sure to follow the instructions and beat the butter for several minutes until it’s whipped and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, lemon extract, and lemon zest, followed by additional powdered sugar and buttermilk. Beat the frosting for about 3 minutes, then add a final cup of powdered sugar, plus the heavy cream. 
3. Whip. Continue to beat the frosting for an additional few minutes, until it’s smooth and airy.
4. When the cupcakes are cool, pipe or spread the frosting generously over their tops. I use a large, open-star piping tip to frost these cupcakes. See below for more easy ways to decorate!

Recipe Notes and Tips

Here are my additional tips for making perfect lemon cupcakes:

• Use fresh lemon juice. The flavor is a million times better than bottled lemon juice. You’ll taste the difference!
• Thoroughly mix the batter. Make sure that the batter isn’t overmixed, but mixed thoroughly enough so that the ingredients combine evenly. I always recommend giving the bowl a good scrape down and stirring the batter from bottom to top.
• Adjust the frosting consistency by adding additional powdered sugar to help thicken it, or additional cream to thin it out. Add a little at a time to get your desired consistency.
• If you live in a humid climate, refrigerate the frosted cupcakes and let them come to room temperature before serving. See below for more storage tips.
• Looking for extra guidance when it comes to cupcake decorating? I have handy tutorials on How to Use a Piping Bag and How to Decorate with Piping Tips.

More Ways to Decorate

The lemon buttercream complements the cupcakes beautifully, but you can always change up the flavors and decorations to suit. If you really love lemon, try adding a lemon curd filling. Or, use blueberry preserves to make lemon blueberry cupcakes. 

Here are some more easy frosting and cupcake decorating ideas:

• Frost with Vanilla Frosting, Mascarpone Whipped Cream or Strawberry Whipped Cream.
• Fill the center cupcakes with strawberry sauce and top the cupcakes with more fresh fruit or berries
• Sprinkle on some toasted coconut, or additional zest
• Add sprinkles or crushed nuts
• Top with candied lemons, or another dried fruit

Check out my post on How to Decorate Cupcakes with even more helpful techniques and tips!

How to Store Frosted Cupcakes

These lemon cupcakes are at their best within the first two days but will keep for longer when properly stored.

Store the frosted lemon cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container, unless you live in a warm climate. In this case, you should store your frosted cupcakes in the fridge and let them come to room temperature before serving.

Can I Freeze Lemon Cupcakes?

Yes. If you wish to freeze your cupcakes, I recommend doing so before they’re frosted. Once the baked cupcakes have cooled, flash-freeze them on a baking sheet and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container to store. Defrost the cupcakes in the fridge, then take them out and frost them before serving.

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More Zesty Lemon Desserts to Try

• Lemon Cream Pie Cupcakes
• Easy Lemon Bundt Cake
• Lemon Layer Cake
• Lemon Olive Oil Cake