Lemon Cupcakes

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Lemon Cupcakes
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
40 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(241)
Comments
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These little cupcakes are light, fluffy and packed with bright lemon flavor. Topped with a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting, they are both well-balanced and indulgent — and easy to prepare in one bowl. While you will need two to three lemons to yield enough zest for the cakes, you may not need to cut so many open for ¼ cup of juice. To save the remaining zested lemons for another recipe, be sure to wrap them in plastic wrap. Without the zest, bald lemons tend to harden in the fridge fast. The frosted cupcakes are best the day they’re made, but you can make the cakes in advance and freeze them for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature to frost and serve.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 cupcakes

    For the Cupcakes

    • ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
    • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
    • 3tablespoons finely grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
    • 2large eggs, at room temperature
    • ¼cup whole milk, at room temperature
    • 2teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1½cups/192 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1½teaspoons baking powder
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

    For the Frosting

    • 8ounces/230 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
    • 2tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 2cups/246 grams confectioners’ sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

422 calories; 23 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 38 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 257 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the cupcakes: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon zest and juice. Beat in the eggs. Beat in the milk and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

  3. Step 3

    Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Beat until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the butter, lemon zest and kosher salt; beat to combine. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar on low speed.

  5. Step 5

    Top the cooled cupcakes with the frosting. (The frosted cupcakes are best the day they’re made, but you can make the cakes in advance and freeze them for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature to serve.)

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Ratings

4 out of 5
241 user ratings
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Comments

Nick C.

I made these exactly as written, and I thought they were quite lovely. Very light, nice lemon flavor, but I didn't care too much for the frosting. I found it to be overly sweet for my taste. The cupcakes were nice enough on their own that I think you could omit the frosting without missing anything. Maybe a nice lemon syrup soak to punch up the citrus flavor a bit? One fun trick I discovered by mistake: Freeze them and then allow them to thaw ever so slightly. Really nice treat on a hot day.

Gayle

WAY to much sugar…I cut it more than half for the cupcakes and by a quarter in the frosting. And don’t need so much butter in the frosting. We want it tart as it’s lemon after all!! Made only 6 and that was perfect. Less sugar makes all the difference!!!!

Megan

I add a few drops (a little goes a loooong way) of lemon oil (by Boyajjan) to increase the lemon flavor and scent. Scrumptious!

Anya

This is such a great recipe. I made it multiple times and my family asks for more. I reduce the sugar in the frosting by half and it still comes out great. The leftover frosting is used as lemon cream cheese for our pumpkin bagels. Delicious!!

Steph G

Made these cupcakes for a party and they were a huge hit. I find that the right amount of sugar in frosting really a matter of personal presence. If you’re a cream cheese frosting fan but don’t like frosting that’s too sweet, check out the proportions in Melissa Clark’s cream cheese frosting recipe on the NYT site which has a different ratio than this recipe. I started there, subbing lemon juice for the milk … then slowly added additional powdered sugar until I hit the balance I enjoy. Frosting still piped well - and guests loved it.

Barbara

These were excellent exactly as recipe calls for. Very addictive and will be making them often. Yum

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