These homemade lemon cupcakes are soft, buttery, and packed with fresh lemon flavor, especially when filled with lemon curd! Made with fresh lemon zest and juice, the bright citrus taste is balanced by a sweet, creamy vanilla buttercream on top. If you’re looking for an easy lemon cupcake recipe that’s moist, tender, and reliable, your search ends here.
I originally shared this recipe in 2013, and I’ve since updated it with new photos and extra success tips for consistently great results.
This recipe for lemon cupcakes with vanilla buttercream is simple, reliable, and one I return to every spring. Lately I’ve been filling them with lemon curd, too, for an extra dose of lemony goodness! These make the list of our favorite lemon dessert recipes that we return to again and again.
Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because you’re craving something citrusy, these lemon cupcakes from scratch are always a hit. If you’ve ever wondered what sunshine tastes like, I think this might be it. 🙂
One reader, Holly, commented: “These were a massive hit at the party I brought them to. One guest said, ‘This is THE BEST lemon cupcake I have ever had in my life!’ I like that the lemon flavor was definitely there but not overpowering. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Dawn, commented: “Made this week and they might be the best dessert ever. Like ever. Used Sally’s buttercream frosting and Sally’s lemon curd recipe and piped the curd into the cooled cupcakes before frosting. They were amazing. ★★★★★”
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Cupcakes
- Citrusy with bright lemon flavor
- Soft and buttery with a tender crumb
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Topped with creamy vanilla frosting
- For extra lemon flavor, fill them with lemon curd
- Adaptable for other frostings or fillings—see below for suggestions!
Here’s Why This Recipe Works
This lemon cupcake recipe is adapted from my lemon blueberry cake, which is one of the most popular cake recipes on my website. I love the cupcake version because they pack more lemon flavor and are much lighter than both the blueberry version as well as this lemon layer cake.
Three simple techniques make these lemon cupcakes especially soft and flavorful:
- Fresh Lemons for Maximum Flavor: Lemon zest contains natural citrus oils that provide the strongest lemon flavor. Be sure to add the zest when you’re creaming the butter and sugar, for maximum flavor. Plus, using both zest and fresh lemon juice creates bright, balanced citrus taste.
- Creaming Butter and Sugar: Creaming butter and sugar incorporates air into the batter, helping the cupcakes bake up light and fluffy. If you’re a beginner baker, check out my tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar.
- Balanced Moisture: Milk keeps the crumb soft while lemon juice adds brightness without making the cupcakes dense.
Grab These Ingredients
You need simple, everyday ingredients for today’s cupcakes. The ingredient list is similar to my lemon cake. Let’s review:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of these cupcakes.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise.
- Salt: A little salt adds flavor and balances the sweet.
- Butter: When a buttery taste is what you’re after, there’s no substitute for real butter! Make sure it’s proper room-temperature butter.
- Sugar: We use all granulated sugar in this cupcake recipe.
- Eggs: 2 eggs add structure and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla complements the fresh lemon flavor beautifully. You can use vanilla bean paste or even homemade vanilla extract if you have a batch going!
- Milk: Milk adds moisture and tenderness. I recommend whole milk or buttermilk.
- Lemons: You need around 2 or 3 large lemons for the cupcake batter—zest them first and then juice them.
Expect a Slightly Thick Lemon Batter
Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, adding the milk and lemon juice. The batter will be slightly thick, and a few small lumps are perfectly fine.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3–3/4 full:
After baking, cool the cupcakes completely, fill with lemon curd if desired, and then top with frosting.
How to Fill Cupcakes
You can enjoy these lemon cupcakes as-is without a filling, but lately we’ve been adding a spoonful of homemade lemon curd to the center. Our taste testers have loved the extra burst of bright lemon flavor!
If you’ve never filled cupcakes before, it’s very simple. You can carve out a small center with a paring knife and spoon the curd inside (pictured below) or use a piping bag to pipe it right into the middle.
For a full written and visual tutorial, see How to Fill Cupcakes.
Frosting Options for Lemon Cupcakes
I love finishing the lemon cupcakes with classic vanilla buttercream because it’s smooth, creamy, easy to pipe, and it holds shape beautifully. More importantly, it pairs beautifully with lemon, and doesn’t take away from its flavor!
If you want to switch things up, these lemon cupcakes are also delicious topped with:
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Lightly sweet and holds intricate piped shape.
- Lemon Buttercream: For extreme lemon flavor!
- Strawberry Buttercream: Strawberry lemonade cupcakes, anyone?
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Tangy, silky, and luscious paired with lemon. It’s how we top these lemon blueberry cupcakes.
- White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: Made with melted white chocolate for an extra rich flavor.
- Raspberry Frosting (pictured below): From my lemon raspberry cupcakes.
- Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting (pictured below): From my lemon blackberry cupcakes.
Optional Variations
- Fill them: Add a spoonful of lemon curd inside for extra citrus flavor. Or try filling them with jam, like we do with these lemon raspberry jam cupcakes.
- Add berries: Berries pair beautifully with lemon. Try these lemon blueberry cupcakes, lemon raspberry cupcakes, or lemon blackberry cupcakes.
- Add poppy seeds: Whisk 2 Tablespoons in with the dry ingredients.
- Try a different frosting: See the frosting section above for other flavors that pair well with lemon.
- Bake it as a small layer cake: This lemon cupcake batter makes just the right amount for a 3-layer 6-inch cake. Learn how in this post on 6-inch cakes.
Success Tips for the Best Lemon Cupcakes
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice and zest provide the brightest flavor. Bottled lemon juice and dried zest just can’t compare to the real deal! Be sure to zest the lemons first, then juice them. Much harder to do it the other way around!
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing creates dense cupcakes instead of a soft crumb.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. Fill cupcake liners just about 2/3 to 3/4 full so they bake up evenly.
If you love bright citrus desserts, these homemade lemon cupcakes with vanilla buttercream are a must-bake. They’re soft, buttery, and bursting with real lemon flavor—one bite and you’ll see why this recipe has been a longtime favorite.
Yes. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead, let cool, then cover and store at room temperature. Fill and frost them the day you plan to serve them.
I strongly recommend fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
Yes! Bake mini cupcakes for about 11–13 minutes. The batter yields around 30–36 mini cupcakes.
This lemon cupcake batter makes just the right amount for a 3-layer 6-inch cake. Learn how in this post on 6-inch cakes. If you’d like a larger version of this cake, use this recipe for lemon layer cake, and the vanilla frosting from this vanilla cake.
Homemade Lemon Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade lemon cupcakes are soft, buttery, and packed with fresh lemon flavor, especially when filled with lemon curd! Made with fresh lemon zest and juice, the bright citrus taste is balanced by a sweet, creamy vanilla buttercream on top. If you’re looking for an easy lemon cupcake recipe that’s moist, tender, and reliable, your search ends here.
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- optional filling: homemade lemon curd, cooled completely
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- salt, to taste
- optional for garnish: lemon slices and/or mint sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Make the batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until creamed, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add eggs and vanilla, and then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and then turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the milk and lemon juice. Beat until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour/spoon the batter evenly into the liners. Bake for 18–21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Fill the cupcakes (optional): Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you removed will be sort of cone-shaped. Spoon cooled, thickened lemon curd inside each carved-out cupcake—use however much will fit. (I use a teaspoon measuring spoon for this. Usually you can fit between 1–2 teaspoons of filling in each.) Slice/tear off the pointy end of the “cone” piece of cupcake you removed, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling. See my How to Fill Cupcakes post if you need extra visuals or help with this step, or if you want to pipe the curd in with a piping tip.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, or more cream/milk—a Tablespoon at a time—if frosting is too thick.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top each with a lemon slice and/or mint sprig, if desired. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Wilton 1M or Ateco 826.
- Store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. A cupcake carrier makes storing and transporting easy.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Make and fill the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep the cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frost the next day. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco 826 Piping Tip or Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier
- Lemons: You need about 2–3 medium lemons to yield this amount of zest and juice.
- Whole Milk or Buttermilk: You can use either. You can use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, but the cupcakes won’t taste nearly as rich and moist.
- Lemon Curd Filling: This is optional, and I recommend using homemade lemon curd. Make sure it’s prepped in advanced and has thickened and cooled completely.
- Mini Cupcakes: For around 30–36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11–13 minutes, same oven temperature. I do not recommend filling mini cupcakes; they’re simply too small.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made these right around Easter as a spring treat for my team. They loved them and one of my employees asked me to make them for her daughter’s bridal shower. I’m making 90 of them for her shower and the recipe has turned out perfectly for every batch. It’s a winner and pairs perfectly with the vanilla frosting recommended in the recipe.
Hi Sally! I’m planning on making these for a baby shower and would like to make a mini version. How should I adjust the baking time and temperature?
Hi Nina, see step 4 for mini cupcake baking instructions!
Light, fluffy, so flavourful. Paired with Sally’s lemon buttercream, it’s a citrus punch!
These were so delicious! I added a 1/4 cup lemon curd to the vanilla buttercream frosting to include a little lemon flavor to the frosting too.
What’s the main difference between this recipe and the Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Cream Cheese icing (besides the icing)? Hoping to make for my birthday this week : ).
Hi Missy, they are the same base cupcakes, simply different frosting recipes. Hope you have a great birthday!
Love these! I wonder how a chocolate buttercream would work on them?
Hi, do you think it would be too much if I used the strawberry frosting with this?
Hi Ellie, these are great with our Strawberry Buttercream.
I made these cupcakes today for a shower on Saturday lunchtime (so just under 2 days) is it worth freezing them if I’m going to frost them tomorrow? Or should I just leave them at room temperature covered? Thanks
Hi Michelle, you can leave the cupcakes unfrosted overnight at room temperature, then once decorated you can store them in the refrigerator until the shower the next day. Hope they’re a hit!
This recipe makes a deliciously flavored cupcake, but like Amanda my cupcakes sank. They were properly filled, and they all came out with a divot in the center. I just read that too much acid causes changes to protein structure (makes sense), so the large amount of lemon juice may be the culprit. Next time I might just go with extra zest and cut the juice a bit. I may just plop some blackberry jam on top for this batch and call it good.
Hi Sally! Im at a loss. Im a pretty experienced baker. I bake your recipes probably once or twice a week and they always turn out amazing. I’ve made your lemon cake before for a birthday and it turned out beautiful. This week I made your chocolate cupcakes and lemon cupcakes and both sank for some reason. I bought new baking powder but they still sank. Could it be the butter or the flour? Everything was spooned and leveled and room temperature but im just stumped. Could my butter have gone bad? Or my flour?
Hi Amanda, Make sure you only fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 full! Too much batter can cause them to sink.
I had the same experience. Also an experienced baker, I chose to weigh my flour for a more accurate experience. Unfortunately I discovered that 1.5 C spooned and leveled flour came to 245 grams, no where near the 188 indicated in the recipe. I measured and compared the weight three times – vastly different.
Delicious! The lemon flavour is bursting through and they were so moist without being dense! I did substitute cake flour for the all-purpose (1:1) and baked at a lower temperature. But this recipe is a winner! Love the flavour.
Lemony delicious! I’d be grateful to be apprised of the calorie count with and without the icing?
Hi Carolyn! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Hi!! Can I substitute the butter for oil? What would be the ratio?
Hi Eli, we don’t recommend it. You need softened/creamed butter for this cupcake recipe.
Could I fill these with lemon curd? And if I wanted to mimic meringue pie, could I top with Swiss meringue and torch it?
Hi Lauren, you can definitely fill the insides of these cupcakes with lemon curd (see our cream-filled chocolate cupcakes for details on filling cupcakes). You could then top with our marshmallow meringue and torch. Let us know how it goes!
I’ve made these once before for a shower and doubled the recipe with great results. I just made them again today (doubled the recipe) around 5 PM and I’m wondering if my shower is at 2 PM on Sunday (nearly 72 hours from now) is it worth the effort to freeze them? My goal is for them to taste as fresh as possible and I didn’t have time to make them the day before. What would you recommend or would they be OK just sitting out at room temperature until Sunday? I’m willing to freeze tonight if that’s best. Thanks in advance for your opinion.
Hi Dawn, these cupcakes are best stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, so we would likely recommend freezing them to help seal in some of that freshness before the shower on Sunday. Hope they’re a hit!
I love this recipe. Never had any issues.
Can we make the batter ahead of time and keep in fridge until the next day to bake?
Hi Dawn, we don’t recommend it. The leaveners are activated once the batter is made, so it’s best to bake the batter right away. You could make the cupcakes and store them at room temperature overnight and decorate the nest day. Hope this helps!
They came out dry…
Hi Jean, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Make sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring and be very careful not to over-bake (always use a toothpick test to check for doneness and keep on eye on cupcakes in the oven!). Thank you for giving these cupcakes a try.
Hi! Love your recipes! Can I add green food coloring to the buttercream to get in the St Patrick’s Day spirit? Thanks for thoughts on this.
Absolutely! I would use gel food coloring, just a drop or 2 depending on the shade of green you want.
My daughter really wants orange cupcakes for her birthday and I really want a recipe from Sally. Do you think I could substitute orange juice and zest for lemon?
Hi JE, While we haven’t tested it with this recipe, it should work. Let us know if you try it!
Hi! Can I downsize this recipe to make half the amount for mini cupcakes?
Hi Lena, you can halve this recipe for a smaller amount. Enjoy!
Can I double this to make a layer cake? If so, would it make two 9″ round layers?
Hi Alison, I recommend this lemon layer cake instead. You can use 2 9-inch cake pans instead of 3.
Hi Sally, I’d like to make this as a 6 in cake. Can I make your lemon curd as the filling? Do you think it’s sturdy enough to be squished between layers? Thank you
Hi Sarah, absolutely, lemon curd would be delicious between the layers. You may find it helpful to make a frosting “dam” like we do when using raspberry cake filling. It helps prevent the filling from oozing out. Enjoy!
Do you think I can use full fat evaporator milk?
Hi Ashley, we haven’t tested this recipe with evaporated milk, so are unsure of the results. From what I’ve read, you’ll need to add an equal amount of water to the evaporated milk, so that would mean 1/4 cup of each to total the 1/2 cup of milk the recipe calls for. Hope they turn out great!
I made these cupcakes and they sunk in the middle before they were completely baked. I did not open the oven until 18 minutes the check. I think there was too much lemon juice.
The cupcakes did not come out right. They sunk in the middle half way during baking. I think there was too much liquid -1/3 cup of lemon juice, which is the same amount for your lemon cake. Flavor was good, but texture was bad. Disappointed.
This recipe has become my families go to, granted I’m the one that bakes it every time but I do not mind. Thank you Sally
OMG! Another winner from Sally! So delicious!
Have you ever made these with your lemon buttercream frosting? I’m thinking of making these with a blend of your vanilla buttercream And lemon buttercream frosting, since I’m already making and serving your vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. I imagine both lemon cupcakes And lemon buttercream would be too lemony, which is why I’m assuming you recommend it with your vanilla buttercream? But please let me know your thoughts if I did all lemon, or a blend. Thank you so much!! First time user of your recipes but the vanilla buttercream we’ve made thus far is finger-licking yummy! Looking forward to all our finished results!
Hi Summer, these would be great with lemon buttercream! Enjoy!
Hi, I was wondering if it is safe to double this recipe at one time to make 24 cupcakes? Thanks!
Hi Ren! We always recommend making separate batches for best results. Hope they’re a hit!
Ren,
I’ve actually quadrupled this recipe and it came out great. My mixer has the large bowl so it was doable. It’s the limit of my mixer though. I found triple was more managable. Point though is that it worked out beautifully and I didn’t make any adjustments what so ever.
Dear Sally,
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I would like to try it!
I’m vegan, May I ask about any replacement for the eggs?
I’ve found there are different ways but not sure which one could work with the muffin.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Rocio, we haven’t tested this recipe with any egg replacements, so we’re unsure of the results. If you’re interested, here are all of our egg-free recipes.
Any idea how ma h mini cupcakes this recipe would yield? Thank you!!
Hi Dave, this recipe should make around 30 mini cupcakes, give or take. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Enjoy!
I wanted to love these cupcakes , but I followed the recipe closely and my cupcakes sunk in the middle. And were really buttery on the bottom. I left the butter and milk out 2 hours to soften. I did use flaxseed eggs instead of regular eggs. Could this have caused the issues?
Hi Amy! Yes, making any substitutions will change the outcome of the recipe – especially with delicate cake and cupcake recipes. We usually recommend letting butter soften for about an hour – room temperature butter is cooler than we typically think. Thank you for giving these cupcakes a try!
Hi, I made these cupcakes with your cream cheese frosting and added lemon extract. They were delicious and everyone loved them. I was wondering if you could make it the recipe into a 2 layer cake using either 8 or 9 inch pans? Thanks again for a delicious recipe!