Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon-Blueberry Frosting
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Additional Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Servings
24 cupcakes
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Course
Cake
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon-Blueberry Frosting
Description
These Lemon Cupcakes are made with cake flour to create a fine, soft texture complemented by tangy buttermilk and citrus flavors from lemon zest and extracts. The sugar is rubbed with lemon zest before creaming with butter to intensify the lemon aroma. Stiffly beaten egg whites are folded into the batter to introduce lightness and volume, resulting in a fluffy cupcake base.
The lemon-blueberry frosting combines softened butter with sifted confectioners’ sugar, fine sea salt, vanilla, and fresh lemon zest blended with pureed blueberries and lemon juice. This creates a brightly colored and flavored frosting with a natural fruity tartness balancing the sweetness. Milk is added in small amounts to achieve desired consistency for piping or spreading.
Filled with lemon curd, the cupcakes offer an additional burst of citrus inside. These cupcakes are suitable for gatherings and celebrations that call for a fruit-forward, citrus dessert. The recipe includes helpful resources on cake flour substitutes, measuring techniques, and making frosting for clarity and precision.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour I used Swan’s Down brand
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt fine grain
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract pure
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- lemon zest finely grated, from two lemons
- 12 tablespoons butter room temperature, unsalted
- 4 egg room temperature, large, whites
For the filling:
- lemon curd prepared
For the lemon-blueberry frosting:
- 2 cups butter softened, unsalted
- 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar sifted
- pinch sea salt fine grain
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- lemon finely grated, zest of one
- ½ cup blueberries pureed with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, fresh
- 1-3 tablespoons milk very cold
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line two standard cupcake pans with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon extract.
- Rub sugar and lemon zest together until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating on low speed. Beat in half of the milk mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk, beating until the batter is fully incorporated and smooth, then add the last of the dry ingredients, beating until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add the egg whites to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently stir ¼ of the whipped egg whites into the cupcake batter with a rubber spatula until no streaks of egg whites remain. This will help lighten up the batter. Gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites, one half at a time, by cutting the spatula down the middle to the bottom of the bowl, then sweeping it around, up and over. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers come out clean. Cool on wire rack.
- Once cupcakes have cooled, hollow out a small circle in the center of each cupcake. Add a spoonful of lemon curd into each hollow. Frost with lemon blueberry buttercream or as desired.
For the Lemon-Blueberry Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.
- Add salt, vanilla, lemon zest and blueberry puree and mix until well combined. If buttercream is too thick, slowly drizzle in milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Notes
- Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before baking to improve batter consistency.
- Use cake flour or a proper substitute for tender crumb texture.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning into measuring cup and leveling for accuracy.
- Chill the frosting if it is too soft before piping.
- Filling cupcakes with lemon curd adds moisture and bright flavor contrast.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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