• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with parchment liners and set aside.
• Stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Beat together the melted butter, canola oil, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl with a handheld mixer on medium speed until well combined.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating again until fully incorporated.
• Add half the dry ingredients, mix on low speed just until combined, then mix in the buttermilk and lemon juice, followed by the remaining dry ingredients. The batter should be smooth but not overmixed.
• Fill each paper liner ¾ full with batter.
  
• Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or just until lightly golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and unsalted butter. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
• Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, beating again until fully incorporated.
• With the mixer on low, slowly add 4 ½ cups of the powdered sugar until fully incorporated.
• Add the heavy cream, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. The frosting should be firm enough to hold its shape when piped. After adding the heavy cream, you can mix in up to an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar if you prefer a slightly stiffer frosting for piping.
• Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large decorative piping tip (Wilton 1M used), then pipe decorative swirls onto the tops of each cupcake.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest and a piece of thinly sliced lemon if desired.