The Best Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
Discover the ultimate lemon cupcakes recipe. Light, fluffy, and topped with a tangy lemon cream icing, these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. Easy to make and utterly delicious!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk divided
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided
Lemon Cream Icing:
- 2 cups chilled heavy cream
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.
- Prepare the cupcakes: Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar together in another bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla.
- Gently beat flour mixture into butter mixture, 1/3 at a time, alternating with 1/2 of the milk and 1/2 of the lemon juice after each of the first two additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter, 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans before removing them to finish cooling on a rack, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the icing: Beat cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer set on low until cream begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the icing forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
- Spread icing on cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.