These light and fluffy Lemon Cupcakes with sweet Raspberry Buttercream are the perfect, refreshing dessert to kick off spring!
This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I sort of have a thing for cupcakes with fruity frosting when spring comes around. But I have a “thing” for lemon anything all year long. If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, this is a well-known fact. So, of course I had to make a lemon cupcake! And I can think of fewer perfect fruity flavors for the buttercream frosting than raspberry. Because…lemon and raspberry are sort of meant to be together, and all that jazz. Wouldn’t you agree??
I took part of these to work, and sent the other half to Nat’s daycare – where she proudly proclaimed that, “My mommy made these!” to all her little friends. It was pretty adorable.
So are these cupcakes. And you need them. Especially in these uncertain times. They’ll bring a little sunshine into your home!
What you need to make Lemon Cupcakes:
Milk, room temperature
Egg whites, room temperature
Lemon juice
Lemon Zest
Cake flour
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Unsalted butter, softened but still cool
How to make Lemon Cupcakes:
Full Printable Recipe Below!
1.) Set oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
2.) Pour milk, egg whites, lemon juice and zest into 2-cup measuring cup, and mix with fork until blended.
3.) Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer on low speed. Add butter and continue mixing on low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
4.) Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and mix an additional 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and then mix 20 seconds more.
5.) Divide batter evenly into prepared cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes (8-11 for miniature).
6.) Cool completely before frosting.
How to make killer raspberry buttercream:
1.) In a small saucepan combine raspberries and lemon juice; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly and gently smashing the blueberries, until thickened and reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
2.) Using a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl, pour in the raspberry puree and push through the strainer with a spatual, which will give you smooth puree with no seeds. Set aside to cool.
3.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the raspberry puree and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute (the mixture may look very “wet”, but don’t worry!) Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the lemon juice and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes. Now the frosting will thicken up and look as it should!
4.) Add frosting to piping bag with tip of choice and decorate as desired, then top with fresh raspberries and lemon slices, if desired!
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Sponsor Products used in this recipe:
Dixie Crystals Granulated & Powdered Sugar
Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk room temperature
- 6 large egg whites 3/4 cup, room temperature
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 Tbsp 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened but still cool
For the Raspberry Buttercream:
- 6 oz fresh raspberries*
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter VERY soft
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 cups Dixie Crystals confectioners sugar more if needed, sifted
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice more if needed
- Fresh raspberries & lemon slices for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Set oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Pour milk, egg whites, lemon juice and zest into 2-cup measuring cup, and mix with fork until blended.
- Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer on low speed. Add butter and continue mixing on low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
- Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and mix an additional 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and then mix 20 seconds more.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes (8-11 for miniature).
- Cool completely before frosting.
For the Raspberry Buttercream:
- In a small saucepan combine raspberries and lemon juice; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly and gently smashing the blueberries, until thickened and reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Using a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl, pour in the raspberry puree and push through the strainer with a spatual, which will give you smooth puree with no seeds. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the raspberry puree and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute (the mixture may look very “wet”, but don’t worry!) Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the lemon juice and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes. Now the frosting will thicken up and look as it should!
- Add frosting to piping bag with tip of choice and decorate as desired, then top with fresh raspberries and lemon slices, if desired!
Notes
Wednesday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes
Blueberry Rhubarb Quick Bread by Palatable Pastime
Bunny Carrot Cakes by Simply Inspired Meals
Cake Batter Milkshakes by Kate’s Recipe Box
Carrot Cake Bread by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Chocolate Raspberry Mocha Cupcakes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Coffee Banana Breakfast Smoothie by Shockingly Delicious
Coffee Brownies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Coffee Chip No Churn Ice Cream by A Savory Feast
Easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies by Books n’ Cooks
Fairy Cakes by That Recipe
Gluten Free Pecan Shortbread Bars by Frugal & Fit
Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream by Sweet Beginnings
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf by Blogghetti
Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines by The Spiffy Cookie
Lemon Raspberry Cake Mix Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Mini Funfetti Cheesecakes by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Mocha Cake by Fresh April Flours
Mocha Mint Chocolate Cream Puffs by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Spring Toffee Crack by Jen Around the World
Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Millican Pecan, Door County Coffee & Tea Co., Anolon, Fresh April Sprinkles, Deiss Kitchenware, and Adams Extracts for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.
More pretty cupcakes! Just what the world needs! Seriously! Bring on the pretty pink cupcakes!