The BEST Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

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Updated: April 3, 2025

Lemon desserts are hard to beat! I absolutely love eating lemon flavored desserts in the spring. I decided to create a dreamy lemon buttermilk cake recipe with lemon buttercream frosting, and it turned out so delicious. These cupcakes are so soft and fluffy; they are truly the BEST lemon cake I’ve ever made. These Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream are the perfect little spring treat to share at your next gathering, spring brunch, or Easter celebration.

A Bright and Beautiful Favorite:

Lemon desserts have a way of standing out—they’re refreshing, bold, and instantly uplifting. These cupcakes showcase lemon in two beautiful ways: in the moist, buttery cake and in the tangy, whipped buttercream. Using both fresh lemon zest and juice gives the cupcakes their vibrant flavor, while the buttercream is light, fluffy, and flavored with just enough lemon to make it pop without being overpowering.

Whether you dress them up with piped swirls and a fresh lemon wedge or keep them simple with a rustic swoop of frosting, these cupcakes are as beautiful as they are delicious. They’re easy to make, easy to love, and impossible to eat just one.

Why These are the BESt Lemon Cupcakes:

• Incredibly Soft and Fluffy – Made with a combination of buttermilk and sour cream for extra tenderness.

• Packed with Real Lemon Flavor – Fresh lemon zest and juice are mixed into both the lemon cake and lemon frosting.

• Beautifully Balanced – Not too tart, not too sweet—just bright, buttery perfection!

• Perfect for Any Occasion – From birthdays to brunches, they always impress. These are the perfect Easter dessert.

• Easy to Decorate – Top with fresh lemon slices, candied lemon peel, fresh berries, or edible flowers give this cupcake recipe a bakery-worthy finish.

Gathering Ingredients:

• Flour. For this recipe, all-purpose flour works best.

• Baking Powder & Baking Soda.

• Salt.

• Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice. I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice, if possible, for the best flavor!

• Butter. Make sure that your butter is softened before mixing the cake to avoid large clumps of butter in the batter.

• Sugar.

• Eggs.

• Vanilla Extract.

• Sour Cream. Sour cream helps add moistness to the batter. You can swap this ingredient out with full fat plain Greek yogurt or more buttermilk.

• Buttermilk. If you do not have buttermilk, regular milk can be used.

• Powdered Sugar.

• Heavy Cream.

• Lemon Extract. This ingredient is optional, but gives more of a burst of lemon flavor to the buttercream frosting!

• Lemon Yellow Gel Food Coloring. This is my favorite brand of food coloring.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream:

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350° F (177 °C). Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line the tin cupcake liners. Set aside.

Step Two: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set this aside for now.

Step Three: In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla, beating until just combined, about 1 to 2 minutes more.

Step Four: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice. To the creamed butter and sugar, alternately add the dry ingredients mixture and sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter.

Step Five: Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack and cooling to room temperature before frosting.

Step Six: While the cupcakes are cooling, begin making the Lemon Buttercream. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of standing electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Begin adding the powdered sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until the frosting becomes smooth and well combined. Continue to beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy with a similar consistency to shaving cream, about 5 to 6 minutes. It should be soft and easy to pipe.

Step Seven: Test the flavor of the frosting and adjust, if desired, by adding lemon extract. Finally, add in the yellow food coloring and beat until there are not longer streaks of colors. Sometimes this is easier to do with a spatula than the mixer!

Step Eight: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round or French star tip. Pipe the frosting on the tops of the cooled cupcake. Decorate the cupcakes with sprinkles and a lemon slice.

Step Nine: The cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 4 to 5 days. Otherwise they can be stored in the refrigerator. Preferably, it is best to store the cupcakes WITHOUT the lemon slices, as they omit juices and can make the frosting too wet!

Tips for Making the Best Lemon Cupcakes:

• Weigh Your Ingredients — My biggest tip when it comes to baking is to weigh your ingredients! I create my recipes with metric units, so using a kitchen scale will ensure that this lemon cupcake recipes turns out perfectly every time.

• Use Fresh Lemons – Bottled juice just doesn’t compare. Zest the lemon before juicing for maximum flavor, and be careful not to pull up too much of the white pith, which can give off bitterness.

• Don’t Overmix the Batter – This keeps the cupcakes light and fluffy. As soon as the dry ingredients have blended into the batter, it’s finished mixing!

• Use Room Temperature Ingredients – Mixing the batter with room temperature butter, eggs, and milk ensures a smooth, even batter and better texture in the final crumb.

• Whip the Buttercream Well – Beat until it’s airy and creamy for the perfect frosting consistency, which should be similar to shaving cream. Beat the frosting on high speed for about 5 to 8 minutes.

My Favorite Cake Decorating Tools:

• Cake Decorating Tips. If you want your piping details to have certain shapes, you will need some cake decorating tips. This set of tips is great for a beginner and will give you almost everything you need to get started! You may also want some jumbo sized tips or a set of French Star tips in multiple sizes.

• Piping Bags. Personally, I like to use disposable piping bags because they are easier to work with, but there are also plenty of lovely reusable piping bags.

• Bench Scraper. A bench scraper will make a huge difference to your vintage style cake! A Lambeth cake needs to have a smooth side so that the overpiping really stands out on the cake. To make this happen, you will want to have a bench scraper to smooth off your edges and help drag off any excess frosting.

• Food Coloring. To create a cake that really pops, you may want to add some food coloring to your cake. If you are trying to stay away from artificial dyes, I like this brand of natural food colorings.

Serving Suggestions:

These lemon cupcakes shine as the centerpiece of a dessert table or as a sweet finale to a brunch or picnic. Serve them with a glass of iced tea, sparkling lemonade, or a light prosecco for a refreshing pairing. For a little extra flair, top each one with a swirl of lemon zest, a tiny wedge of candied lemon, or a fresh blueberry for color contrast.

Try serving your cupcakes at Easter brunch alongside these other spring recipes:

• Spicy Dill Cream Deviled Eggs

• Creamy and Crunchy Broccoli Salad

• Carrot Cake Iced Latte

Final Thoughts:

The BEST Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream are a celebration of sunshine and sweetness in cupcake form. Light, bright, and full of citrusy charm, they’re the kind of dessert that instantly lifts the mood. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because you love lemon, these cupcakes deliver every time.

xoxo Kayla

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Yield: 12

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

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The BEST Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

A dreamy lemon buttermilk cake recipe with lemon buttercream frosting that is so delicious. These cupcakes are soft and fluffy; they are truly the BEST lemon cake I’ve ever made. These are the perfect little spring treat to share at your next gathering, spring brunch, or Easter celebration.

Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• Zest of 1 large lemon, about 1 to 2 tbsp
• 1/2 cup (114 g) salted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) sour cream, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice

Lemon Buttercream

• 1/2 cup (114 g) salted butter, softened
• 4 cups (460 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract, optional
• Lemon Yellow food coloring, optional
• Sprinkles, for decorating
• Lemon Slices, for decorating

Instructions

To make the Lemon Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (177 °C). Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line the tin cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set this aside for now.
3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla, beating until just combined, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice. To the creamed butter and sugar, alternately add the dry ingredients mixture and sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter.
5. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack and cooling to room temperature before frosting.

To make the Lemon Buttercream:

1. While the cupcakes are cooling, begin making the Lemon Buttercream. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of standing electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Begin adding the powdered sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until the frosting becomes smooth and well combined. Continue to beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy with a similar consistency to shaving cream, about 5 to 6 minutes. It should be soft and easy to pipe.
2. Test the flavor of the frosting and adjust, if desired, by adding lemon extract. Finally, add in the yellow food coloring and beat until there are not longer streaks of colors. Sometimes this is easier to do with a spatula than the mixer!
3. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round or French star tip. Pipe the frosting on the tops of the cooled cupcake. Decorate the cupcakes with sprinkles and a lemon slice.
4. The cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 4 to 5 days. Otherwise they can be stored in the refrigerator. Preferably, it is best to store the cupcakes WITHOUT the lemon slices, as they omit juices and can make the frosting too wet!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

446

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