Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

Soft spongy cake plus creamy lemon-infused frosting and a lemon curd drizzle make these lemon drizzle cupcakes the perfect choice for a citrusy treat.

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These delicious lemon drizzle cupcakes are sure to make your day brighter! The delicate little treats are a perfect balance of tart and sweet with their refreshingly zingy lemon-flavored sponge bases combined with creamy cream cheese icing and a delightful lemon drizzle. 

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Ingredients

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Lemon drizzle cupcakes are like a burst of sunshine in your mouth. The zesty lemon flavor is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness.

The cake itself is soft and fluffy, while the tangy cream cheese frosting adds the perfect way to top these cupcakes. The lemon curd drizzle adds a refreshing finishing touch.

You’ll need:

For The Cupcakes:

• 2½ cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• ¾ cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¼ cups of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
• 1 cup of buttermilk

For The Lemon Drizzle:

• 10-ounce jar of lemon curd
• 2 tablespoons of water

For The Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 12 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
• ¾ cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream

Substitutions And Additions

LEMON CURD: Use a good quality lemon curd if you are using a jar from the store. I like to use Dickinson’s Lemon Curd as it is easy to find in your local grocery store’s jelly & jams section. You can certainly make your own homemade lemon curd to use in this recipe.

GARNISH: A piece of candied lemon would make an adorable garnish to your lemon drizzle cupcakes. 

LEMON JUICE: Fresh lemon juice is best for this simple recipe. The bottled lemon juice just does not taste as good and is missing that rich lemon flavor. You will need 2 large or 3 small lemons for this recipe.

How To Make This Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Recipe

Let’s walk through the steps for making these delectable cupcakes that are simply bursting with bright sunny lemon flavor.

For The Cupcakes 

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2-standard muffin tins with 20 paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set dry ingredients aside.

STEP THREE: In a large bowl, beat together, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

STEP FOUR: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Be sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next. You can scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

STEP FIVE: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the buttermilk. You will need to stop and scrape the bowl a couple of times. Do not overmix your batter. You just want to mix until each addition is fully incorporated.

STEP SIX: Fill each cupcake paper ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

STEP SEVEN: In a 2-cup, microwave-safe measuring cup with a pour spout, add the lemon curd and water. Microwave on high for 45 to 50 seconds. Stir to loosen the lemon curd to a consistency that can be spooned and drizzled.

STEP EIGHT: Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, spoon about 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the warm lemon drizzle over the tops of each cupcake. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Save the remaining lemon drizzle (and allow it to cool) to drizzle over the frosted cupcakes. 

For The Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

STEP ONE: In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the cream cheese and softened butter for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.

STEP TWO: With the mixer on medium-low, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat just until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.

STEP THREE: Add the lemon juice and heavy cream. Beat on high for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until your lemon cream cheese frosting is thick and smooth. You may need to stop every so often to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.

STEP FOUR: You can cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until ready to frost, or you can transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. You can also place the piping bag into the refrigerator to firm up slightly before frosting the top of the cupcakes.

STEP FIVE: Once your cupcakes are frosted, you can spoon (or squeeze – see tips) the cooled lemon drizzle over the frosted cupcakes.

How To Serve

Lemon lovers will delight in sinking their teeth into this fluffy cupcake, whether for special occasions or simply when the craving strikes.

If you’d like to make this into an extra fancy dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and a cold iced tea to drink.

We have plenty of delicious recipes for lemon desserts. Check out our lemon custard cake and lemon lava cake for two fantastic choices.

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Storage

Make these delightful cupcakes ahead of time for your next special occasion. Here’s how to store them:

IN THE FRIDGE: These lemon cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes to return to room temperature if they have been refrigerated for an extended period. You can make the frosting up to 3 days in advance. You will want it to soften at room temperature to make it easier to pipe. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes tightly wrapped in plastic for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before frosting and serving them.

Nothing quite beats the sweet and zesty flavor of homemade lemon drizzle cupcakes. That perfect combination of moist sponge, creamy frosting, and tangy citrus will awaken your senses the minute you take your first bite.

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Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

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Soft spongy cake plus creamy lemon-infused frosting and a lemon curd drizzle make these lemon drizzle cupcakes the perfect choice for a citrusy treat.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 42 minutes minutes

Servings 20

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Ingredients

  

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Cupcakes

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 cup buttermilk

Lemon Drizzle

• 10 ounces lemon curd
• 2 tablespoons water

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2-standard muffin tins with 20 paper cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Be sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next. You can scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the buttermilk. You will need to stop and scrape the bowl a couple of times. Do not overmix your batter. You just want to mix until each addition is fully incorporated.
• Fill each cupcake paper ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• In a 2-cup, microwave-safe measuring cup with a pour spout, add the lemon curd and water. Microwave on high for 45 to 50 seconds. Stir to loosen the lemon curd to a consistency that can be spooned and drizzled.
• Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, spoon about 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the warm lemon drizzle over the tops of each cupcake. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Save the remaining lemon drizzle (and allow it to cool) to use to drizzle over the frosted cupcakes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the cream cheese and softened butter for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
• With the mixer on medium-low, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat just until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
• Add the lemon juice and heavy cream. Beat on high for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until your lemon cream cheese frosting is thick and smooth. You may need to stop every so often to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.
• You can cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until ready to frost, or you can transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. You can also place the piping bag into the refrigerator to firm up slightly before frosting your cupcakes.
• Once your cupcakes are frosted, you can spoon (or squeeze – see tips) the cooled lemon drizzle over the frosted cupcakes.

Notes

• Parchment paper liners can help prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the liners.
• If you fill your cupcake papers ½ to ⅔ full, you can get 24 cupcakes from this batter. You just need to note that they will not rise above the paper liners.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cupcakes at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
• I put my thinned lemon drizzle into a small food-grade squeeze bottle (like the ones used for cookie decorating) so that it is easy to drizzle, and I can just put the little cap onto the tip and store it in the refrigerator if I have extra remaining. Keep the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes while your cupcakes are cooling so the lemon drizzle can cool a bit before you close the lid and use it to drizzle on your frosting. You can easily find these little bottles online or at any craft store in the baking section.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

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