These light, zesty Lemon Cupcakes are super easy to make and are finished off with a delicious lemon buttercream – a little heavenly treat baked in just 15 minutes.
These fluffy Lemon Cupcakes are an adaptation of my very popular Lemon Drizzle Cake. They’re just as tasty but come packaged in very cute form.
I also wanted to add a divine topping you can sink your teeth into, making these a wonderful combination of sour and sweet, as well as super impressive for a gift, party or bake sale.
Why you’ll love this Easy Lemon Cupcakes recipe
Quick to make (even for beginners) but look impressive
No fancy baking equipment necessary
Moist, zesty, fluffy and delicious
Sarah’s Notes
This simple Lemon Cupcake recipe comes with an incredible topping of lemon buttercream and sprinkles to give them extra flavour and the wow-factor to look at.
However, you can leave the toppings off if you prefer. They will still be delicious without.
Lemon Cupcakes Ingredients
- For the cupcakes – Caster sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, self-raising flour (all purpose flour) and lemon zest.
- For the buttercream: Butter, icing sugar and lemon juice.
- To decorate: Sprinkles.
How to make Lemon Cupcakes
1. Start by creaming your butter and sugar together, as per the full recipe below.
2. Add the eggs, sift the flour and add lemon zest. Mix until well combined.
3. Line a muffin tray with cases, dollop your mixture evenly between them, then put into a preheated oven, as per the recipe below.
4. Now make the buttercream icing. Beat your butter, then your sieved icing sugar, and add in the lemon juice.
5. Add your buttercream into a piping bag.
6. Once the cakes are cooled, pipe on the icing and scatter over the sprinkles.
TIP: Don’t over bake the cupcakes. Be sure to take them out of the oven when they are only JUST cooked as the heat in the pan will continue to cook them for a little while.
How to Store
Store the cupcakes in an airtight tin or container for up to 3 days. Don’t store them in the fridge or they will become quite hard.
Freezer You can freeze these cupcakes for another day! Make sure you wrap them tightly individually in cling film for the freezer and defrost it at room temperature before eating.
Recipe Tips
You don’t NEED any of those items to bake these Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes, but they do make it easier and help to give that really special finish.
- Disposable Piping Bags – These are a must-buy if you’re planning on some cake decorating. They are so easy to use. I know, these are not great for the environment. But using reusable bags takes so much detergent to get them clean, I’m honestly not sure of the best option.
- Piping – I used this Wilton 1M piping nozzle to get the pretty swirls of the icing and lemon curd.
- Microplane Zester – My secret weapon for any recipes with citrus zest. I know I’m a wimp but I used to hate making anything with lemon zest in before splashing out on one of these. They have SO many glowing reviews. You can buy them here on Amazon: Microplane Premium Zester.
- Mixer – My much loved (now 10 year old!) mixer.
- Ice cream scoop – I ALWAYS use a scoop for these cupcakes to get an even size.
More easy baking recipes…
FAQs
If you buttercream is too stiff, add a teaspoon of boiling water, one at a time until it is a smooth pipe-able texture.
No, if you don’t have any you could always pop the icing on with a knife and spoon instead.
Don’t over cook your cupcakes. They should be slightly golden and springy to the touch. If you aren’t sure if they are done, use a metal skewer to check. (Put your skewer into the middle of the cupcakes, it should come out clean). Also, eat the cupcakes within 2 days of baking (if they last that long!)
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Lemon Cupcakes {Easy Recipe}
#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #343434; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66 stop { stop-color: #343434; }
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 180 g Caster sugar
- 180 g Butter Room temperature
- 3 Eggs
- 180 g Self raising flour
- 2 Lemons Zest only
For the buttercream icing:
- 150 g Butter
- 300 g Icing sugar Sieved
- 1-2 tsp Lemon juice
To decorate:
- 2-3 tbsp Sprinkles
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 160℃/320F fan, 180℃/350F, Gas Mark 4.
-
Put 12 cupcakes cases into your tin ready.
-
Cream your room temperature butter with your sugar until it's pale, light and fluffy, using a wooden spoon or an electric hand whisk.
-
Add all of the eggs, sift in the flour and add in the lemon zest, then mix together until everything is well combined.
-
Spoon equal amounts of mixture into your cupcake cases. (I use an ice cream scoop as this gives the perfect amount and ensures some uniformity.)
-
Bake for about 15-18 minutes until the cakes are golden and slightly bouncy to the touch. Then leave them to cool on a cooling rack.
-
Now make the buttercream icing. Beat your butter until it's pale, light and fluffy.
-
Beat in your sieved icing sugar and add in the lemon juice.
-
Once the cakes are cooled, pop your buttercream into a piping bag and pipe on the icing. Scatter over the sprinkles.
Did you make this recipe? Click here to let us know how it went and give it a rating! Your feedback helps us to make more recipes you really want.
Notes
Ice cream scoop: Use one to make sure you dish your batter up evenly into the cupcake cases.
Buttercream: If your buttercream is too stiff, add a teaspoon of boiling water, one at a time until it is a smooth pipe-able texture.
Don’t over bake: Be sure to take them out of the oven when they are only JUST cooked as the heat in the pan will continue to cook them for a little while.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published here on April 16th, 2019 and was fully updated with a new and improved recipe on December 16th, 2025.
The post Lemon Cupcakes appeared first on Taming Twins.
