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Lemon Cupcakes

prep 45 minutes
cook 18 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
total 1 hour 33 minutes
Serves 14 cupcakes
Super moist and tender lemon cupcakes frosted with a silky lemon cream cheese frosting!
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 14 cupcakes

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large lemon (or 3 small), zested
  • 1 1/2 cup (172g) cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup (60mL) canola oil
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 large egg room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
  • 1/3 cup (80mL) whole milk room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 8 oz (1 brick) cream cheese room temperature
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar spooned and leveled
  • tiny pinch fine sea salt
  • 2-3 Tbsp (30-45mL) lemon juice room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Method

Lemon Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line 13-14 muffin tins with cupcake liners (preferably a light colored pan).
  2. Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and zest the lemon on top. Use your fingers to rub the sugar with the lemon zest to release the oils.
    1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 2 large lemon (or 3 small), zested
  3. Add the cake flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until they're evenly distributed.
    1 1/2 cup (172g) cake flour spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  4. Add the oil and butter to the dry ingredients and beat together until they're combined.
    1/4 cup (60mL) canola oil, 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter room temperature
  5. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until they're fully combined.
    1 large egg room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes), 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  6. Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed, while streaming the milk in. Scrape the edge of the bowl and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.
    1/2 cup (113g) sour cream, 1/3 cup (80mL) whole milk room temperature
  7. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full, about 50-55 grams of batter per cupcake.* You will have enough batter for about half a cupcake leftover. DO NOT BE TEMPTED to distribute that among the cupcakes, they will sink if they’re overfilled.
  8. Bake for 16-18 minutes. They are done when you press on the center of the cupcake and it springs back or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Remove them from the oven and let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Place the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the color turns to a pale yellow.
    1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
  2. Add in the cream cheese and beat at medium speed for a minute, just until they're combined
    8 oz (1 brick) cream cheese room temperature
  3. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix on low speed, just until it's combined. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for 2-3 minutes, until all of the sugar is fully dissolved and the buttercream no longer feels gritty. 
    4 cups (480g) powdered sugar spooned and leveled, tiny pinch fine sea salt
  4. Pour in the 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice and vanilla bean paste and beat for another 1-2 minutes on high speed. 
    2-3 Tbsp (30-45mL) lemon juice room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  5. If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes. Use a piping bag fit a large round tip to pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of the cupcakes. Top with a little lemon zest of lemon peels.

Notes

  • *I weigh 55g of batter for each cupcake. If it's less, they'll be short and if it's too much, they may sink.
  • If you get each one at 50g, you may get 14 cupcakes out of the batter but if someone of them 55g of batter per cupcake, you'll likely get 13 cupcakes with a little bit of batter left over - don't distribute the little bit left, just toss it...or make a couple of mini cupcakes lol. 
  • I recommend a light colored metal cupcake pan if you want them more uniform in color.
  • Store in an airtight container, refrigerated for 4-5 days or frozen for a few weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 149mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 599IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 0.3mg
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream cheese frosting, lemon cupcakes