Topped with strawberry buttercream, these Lemon Cupcakes are the perfect combination of sweet and tart, not to mention moist and tender. Enjoy these bright and flavorful cupcakes all spring and summer long!
Try our Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes and Root Beer Float Cupcakes, too!
The Best Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
Lemon flavor really shines through in these lemon cupcakes and the strawberry buttercream compliments them perfectly. Tart and sweet is a killer combination, and the tartness from the lemon balanced with sweet strawberries keep these cupcakes from being overly sweet.
These are not jumbo cupcakes but the perfect amount, just slightly rising above the cupcake liners. These cupcakes are moist with a tender crumb, thanks to the addition of sour cream and buttermilk.
Ingredients Needed
These lemon cupcakes are made with primarily pantry staples, plus lemons and strawberries.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements)
For the Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour – Spooned and leveled to avoid excess flour in the batter.
- Baking powder & baking soda – Both leavening agents give these cupcakes a soft and light texture and allow them to rise over the top of the cupcake liners.
- Butter – We prefer unsalted butter to control the saltiness. It needs to be softened, not cold or melted.
- Vegetable oil – Canola oil could also be substituted.
- Eggs – To gives the cupcakes structure.
- Sour cream – Room temperature. Helps ensure that the cupcakes are nice and moist.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk helps create a more tender crumb than regular milk, though you can use it in a pinch.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest give the tart lemon flavor to these cupcakes.
For the Strawberry Buttercream
- Butter – Softened for easier whipping.
- Powdered sugar – Gives the buttercream a soft, sweet texture.
- Fine sea salt – Helps balance out the sweetness.
- Pureed strawberries – Fresh strawberries are ideal for this.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
- Strawberry extract – Optional but definitely enhances the strawberry flavor.
Can I Use Different Frosting on These Cupcakes?
Absolutely. Make the buttercream any berry flavor you want, just use the same ratio of puree. I suggest blueberry, raspberry, or blackberry in place of strawberry. If berries aren’t your thing, you can just use a simple vanilla buttercream frosting instead.
How to Make Lemon Cupcakes
These moist, tender cupcakes come together in just a handful of ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements)
- Make the cupcake batter. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, oil, and sugar. Whisk in the eggs. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and stir until there are no dry patches.
- Bake. Divide the batter into liners. Bake for 5 minutes at 375F then reduce the heat to 350F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin then cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the strawberry buttercream. Whip the butter until smooth then slowly add in the powdered sugar and salt. Add the strawberry puree and extracts. Whip until light and fluffy.
- Serve. Frost and serve the cupcakes.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making these lemon cupcakes with strawberry buttercream.
- Use buttermilk. Buttermilk is key to creating a tender cupcake. If you don’t have any, you can make your own by adding vinegar to regular milk.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. You’ll want just about 3 tablespoons of batter in each cupcake liner. While we want them to rise slightly over the top, we don’t want them to all bake together.
- Bake at a high temperature first. Bake the cupcakes at 375°F for 5 minutes to achieve the doming we look for on cupcakes. The added heat helps the batter puff up fast, then lower the temperature to 375°F to finish the baking process.
- What’s the best way to decorate the cupcakes? I used a Wilton 1M open star tip to pipe the frosting on these. It is enough frosting to generously frost 24 cupcakes.
How to Store & Freeze
- How to store the cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes will stay fresh at room temperature, in a covered container, for up to 3 days. In the fridge, they’ll last for 5 days. If storing them in the fridge, allow them to come to room temperature for optimal taste and texture.
- How to store the buttercream. The buttercream stays fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Can I freeze these? Yes, you can freeze both the lemon cupcakes and strawberry buttercream. However, you should freeze them separately. The buttercream can be in any freezer container while the cupcakes should be tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the fridge. You may want to whip the buttercream before frosting them.
More Lemon Desserts:
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Easy Lemon Trifle
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Tart
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream , room temperature
- 1/4 cup buttermilk , room temperature
- 1/4 cup lemon juice , freshly squeezed
- zest of 2 lemons
For the Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons pureed strawberries
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2, 12-slot muffin tin cups with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk them in until combined. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest, whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir together until smooth with no dry patches or lumps.
- Divide the batter between the paper liners, 3 tablespoons of batter each.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 375°F, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 10-12 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Take the cupcakes out and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the strawberry buttercream. Add the butter to the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time followed by the salt, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and strawberry extract (if using.) Stir it in until combined, scrape down the sides then turn the mixer on medium-high and whip for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost the cupcakes, add any garnishes if using, and enjoy!
