Lemon cupcakes are delicious, a perfect treat for the summer. They pair will with both fluffy, buttercream frostings and delicate, glaze icing. They are also easily adjustable, and once you know the basics of making lemon cupcakes, buttercream, and icing glaze, you can let your imagination run wild and make your own creations!
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes [1] X Research source
- 1 cup (225 grams) white sugar
- ½ cup (115 grams) butter
- 2 eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon's worth)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 1 lemon's worth)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, toasted (optional)
Makes 12 large cupcakes, or 24 small cupcakes
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting [2] X Research source
- 3 to 4 cups (325 to 500 grams) confectioners'/icing sugar, sifted
- 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (optional)
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)
- ½ cup (165 grams) of seedless blackberry jam (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Icing Glaze [3] X Research source
- 1 cup (125 grams) confectioners'/icing sugar
- 2 to 6 tablespoons of milk, water, or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 2 teaspoons of lemon zest (optional)
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Making the Lemon Cupcakes
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). At this time, you can also prepare your cupcake pan by inserting the paper liners into the wells.
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Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can do this using a handheld mixer or an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. To make mixing even easier, cut the butter into cubes first.Advertisement
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Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then add the vanilla extract with the second egg.
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Add in the flour and baking powder and continue mixing. To avoid any lumps and clumps, pour the flour and baking powder through a sifter.
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Stir in the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until everything is just combined. Do not over-mix the batter, or the cupcakes will be tough. For a more complex flavor, add 1 tablespoon of toasted poppy seeds. [4] X Research source
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Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds of the way with the batter. An ice cream scooper is a great way to do this. It is quick, easy, and it will ensure that each liner gets the same amount of batter.
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Bake on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes. The cupcakes are done when the edges turn golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Another way to tell if the cupcakes are done is by pressing on one of the domes; if it bounces back up, it's done.
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Let the cupcakes cool before decorating them. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes first, then transfer them to a baking rack to finish cooling. Choose a frosting or glaze from below to decorate your cupcakes with.Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Making Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
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Beat the butter until it turns smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. You can do this using an electric mixer or a handheld mixer fitted with paddles. This recipe will give you a frosting that is rich and creamy, perfect for spreading or piping.
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Mix in ¾ cup and (95 grams) of confectioners'/icing sugar. [5] X Research source You will be adding the rest of the sugar later, because the consistency of the icing may change depending on what ingredients you add.
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Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. If you don't have any heavy cream, you can use half-and-half instead. At this point, you can also add other ingredients to alter the flavor of your icing.
- If you'd like to make lemon buttercream, add 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. [6] X Research source If you'd like, you can also add in a few drops of yellow food coloring.
- If you'd like to make blackberry buttercream, use only 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and add ½ cup (165 grams) of seedless blackberry jam. [7] X Research source
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Mix in the rest of the sugar, a little bit at a time, until the buttercream is thick and creamy. Depending on what you added to the frosting, and how thick you like it, you might not even have to use all of the sugar.
- If the frosting is too thin, add more confecitoner's/icing sugar. If the icing is too thick, add more heavy cream.
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Frost the cupcakes once they are completely cool. You can do this simply by spreading the buttercream on using a spatula. or fancier cupcakes, you can pipe them on using a piping bag and a decorator's tip.Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Making Icing Glaze
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Sift the confectioners'/icing sugar into a small mixing bowl. This icing is much more delicate than the typical frosting or buttercream. It is glaze-like and perfect for pouring or drizzling.
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Mix in 2 to 6 tablespoons of milk or water. How much liquid you add will depend on how thick or thin you want your glaze to be. Keep in mind that it will harden once it sets.
- If you'd like to make a lemon glaze, use lemon juice instead. [8] X Research source
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Stir in ½ teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract. If you are making lemon glaze, consider skipping the extract and using 2 teaspoons of lemon zest instead. [9] X Research source
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Whisk until the mixture is smooth and syrupy. If the mixture is too thin, add some more confectioners'/icing sugar. If the mixture is too thick, add more of whatever liquid you were using. If you were using lemon, however, consider using just water so as not to overpower the other flavors.
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Drizzle or pour the icing over the cupcakes and let it set. After a few minutes, the icing will set and harden. If the icing layer is too thin, wait until it hardens, then pour or drizzle more on.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionCould I make the icing thinner, similar to a simple syrup?Community AnswerIt's better to give your icing more stability so it can stay on the cupcakes. If the icing is too runny, it will just run down the sides of the cake.
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QuestionDo I put both the glaze and frosting or do I just put one?Community AnswerJust the glaze OR just the frosting, never both or else it will be too much.
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Tips
- If you decorated your cupcakes with blackberry buttercream, top each one with a blackberry. Add a mint leaf for extra color. [10] X Research sourceThanks
- Decorate the cupcakes with a lemon slice and a mint leaf. This is perfect for lemon buttercream. [11] X Research sourceThanks
- Decorate the cupcakes with some sugar/icing flowers. Daisy shaped ones work great with lemon cupcakes! [12] X Research sourceThanks
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Warnings
- Do not over-mix the batter, or it will be too runny.Thanks
- Do not frost the cupcakes while they are still warm. This will melt the frosting.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
Lemon Cupcakes
- 12 or 24 well cupcake tin
- Paper cupcake liners
- Handheld or electric mixer
- Mixing spoon
- Sifter
- Rubber spatula or piping bag with a decorator's tip
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Handheld or electric mixer
- Sifter
- Rubber spatula or piping bag with a decorator's tip
Icing Glaze
- Mixing bowl
- Fork or mini whisk
- Sifter
References
- ↑ http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220884/lemon-cupcake-with-blackberry-buttercream/
- ↑ http://www.handletheheat.com/how-to-make-the-best-buttercream/
- ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/simple-solutions-how-to-make-a-94001
- ↑ http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/470636/lemon-and-poppyseed-cupcakes
- ↑ http://prettysimplesweet.com/lemon-cupcakes/
- ↑ http://www.handletheheat.com/how-to-make-the-best-buttercream/
- ↑ http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220884/lemon-cupcake-with-blackberry-buttercream/
- ↑ http://www.onesweetmess.com/2014/05/06/lemon-cupcakes-lemon-glaze/
- ↑ http://www.onesweetmess.com/2014/05/06/lemon-cupcakes-lemon-glaze/
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