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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time22

Total Time42

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 388kcal

Ingredients

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.

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