These Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes are soft, buttery, and packed with fresh lemon flavour. This easy lemon drizzle cupcake recipe makes fluffy lemon cupcakes soaked in lemon syrup and topped with light vanilla buttercream. They're perfect for lemon lovers and ideal for any occasion.
If you love trying different cupcake flavours, take a look at my collection of Easy Cupcake Recipes from Scratch. I have so many for you to try!
Why This Lemon Drizzle Cupcake Recipe Works
- Recipe name: Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
- Ready in: 1 hr 15 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Serves: 24 cupcakes
- Main ingredients: Butter, flour, eggs, baking powder, lemons, sugar, sour cream, and icing sugar.
- Perfect for: These lemon drizzle cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, afternoon tea, parties, or whenever you need an easy lemon cupcake recipe. Their fresh lemon flavour and soft texture make them a favourite for citrus lovers.
- Why I love it: These lemon cupcakes are so buttery and delicious, and have just the right amount of frosting on them so that you can actually taste the lemon sponge.
- Calories: 253kcal
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
If your love for easy lemon baking recipes started with lemon meringue pies, I have two recipes you can't miss! This Biscuit Base Lemon Meringue Pie recipe is great when you don't have time to make the pastry, and these Mini Lemon Meringue Pies are perfect for when you do!
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Key Ingredients
- Castor sugar - This recipe uses superfine sugar in the cupcake batter for a fine crumb.
- Cake Flour - Use cake flour to make these cupcakes or all-purpose flour. Self-raising flour can be used, just omit the baking powder.
- Vanilla extract - Use good-quality vanilla extract; if you don't have vanilla essence, it will also work. You can also choose to use vanilla bean paste instead.
- Sour cream - Choose a full-fat sour cream; it adds richness and moistness to these lemon cupcakes. If you don't have sour cream, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt instead.
- Lemons - Fresh lemon juice and zest are best for these homemade lemon drizzle cupcakes, as they add a great, natural flavour. For the best lemon flavour, I don't advise using lemon extract.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
These fluffy lemon cupcakes are delicious with or without frosting, so if you'd prefer to serve them plain, you can skip making the frosting.
If you'd like to try out these lemon cupcakes with lemon syrup with other Simple Buttercream Frostings, then have a look at this recipe for Raspberry Buttercream or this recipe for Nutella Buttercream. Both would be delicious!
How to Make Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
Lemon Cupcakes
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170 °C (340 °F) and line 24 cupcake liners in two 12-hole cupcake pans. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl, then use the tips of your fingers to massage them together. Add the butter and lemon sugar mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition.
- Step 3: The mixture should look light and fluffy once all of the eggs have been added. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Step 4: Add the sour cream and flour mixture to the cupcake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then briefly mix again until well combined.
- Step 5: Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners to two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until a light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Step 6: To make the lemon syrup, in a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the lemon juice and sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve and the syrup to thicken. Remove from the heat and brush the syrup over the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Vanilla Frosting
- Step 1: Add the softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until the butter is light and fluffy.
- Step 2: Add the icing sugar to the whipped butter and beat again at medium speed until combined and light and fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle. Pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate with lemon rind and lemon zest curls. Serve and enjoy.
How to Make Fluffy Vanilla Frosting for Lemon Cupcakes
This frosting recipe starts by whipping the soft, room-temperature butter first. Only when the butter is light and white in colour is the icing sugar added. This method ensures that enough air is incorporated into the butter for a fluffy frosting. If you like this frosting method, try out this Vanilla Bean Buttercream too!
Storage
Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly, so try to frost them the same day they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day you bake them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays with plastic wrap until the next day.
For any leftover filled and frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
Expert Tips
- Use an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
- Choose fragrant, fresh lemons for the best flavour.
- Don't overfill the cupcake cases, as this can lead to misshapen cupcakes.
- Don't open the oven door while the cupcakes are baking.
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before starting this recipe.
- Ensure the cupcakes have cooled properly before frosting them.
Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes FAQs
Check your oven's temperature and ensure you haven't overfilled the cupcake cases. Overfilling the cases can result in misshapen cupcakes. Also, check the expiry dates on your flour and baking powder before baking this easy lemon cupcakes recipe.
Wait - having room-temperature butter is the most important step in a successful batter and frosting. Choose to wait until the butter has reached room temperature before making this recipe, or cube the butter and heat it gently in the microwave, being careful not melt it.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking, this way you can ensure you've measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
To freeze these delicious lemon cupcakes, place any leftover cupcakes in a freezer-safe, air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost properly before consuming them.
More Easy Lemon Baking Recipes
These easy lemon drizzle cupcakes are perfect for lemon lovers. The buttery, lemony cupcake pairs so well with the creamy vanilla frosting! If you're looking for the perfect lemon cake to serve alongside these cupcakes, you have to try this Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake or this Mixed Berry Cake with Lemon Zest.
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at these Coffee and Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x cupcake tin
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 175 g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 175 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 eggs extra large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 230 g cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 140 g sour cream
Lemon Drizzle Syrup
- 80 ml lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
Vanilla Buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 250 g powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl and use the tips of your fingers to massage the lemon zest into the sugar.
- Add the butter and lemon sugar mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sour cream and flour mixture to the cupcake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the sour cream. Once added, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners two-thirds of the way up the liner. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until a light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Lemon Drizzle Syrup
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the lemon juice and sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve and the syrup to thicken. Remove from the heat and brush the syrup over the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Add the softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until the butter is light and fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar to the whipped butter and beat again at medium speed until combined and light and fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle.
- Pipe small swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate with lemon rind and curls of lemon zest. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature for the perfect fluffy buttercream frosting. It needs to be soft so that it can whip easily.
- Check the temperature of your oven with a thermometer before baking the cupcakes.
Kelly says
Amazingly fluffy and zesty!
Cat Spiller says
Hi Kelly! I am so glad you loved this recipe 🙂
Lee says
Delicious recipe, loved the lemon frosting and so easy to make