Simple and delicious these easy Lemon cupcakes are perfect for lemon lovers
These lemon cupcakes are my youngest daughters favourite! So while I was making them for her 12th birthday afternoon tea I thought I would share the recipe with you.
These are an adaption of my Grandmas Wonder Cake that I turned into cupcakes. With the addition of lemon zest and juice in the cupcakes and icing they are just lovely
For this recipe I have used a simple lemon icing, you can of course go all out with a fancy buttercream, but the simplicity of this icing is just so lovely and perfect for those that prefer just a little something rather than a full decorative swirl.
I have been given a bucket of lemons from my Dad as he grows the best lemons! But also for the first time ever our own lemon tree has produced actual edible lemons! So you can look forward to many more lemon recipes coming soon.
Our lemon tree is doing well for the first time in 10 years likely because my Dad tended to it when he stayed so it turns out that my gardening methods of only the strongest will survive does not pertain to lemon trees and they need a particular sort of love and fertilizer!
This recipe is lovely and easy, has a few interesting measurement techniques but results in such a lovely light fragrant cupcake. Using pantry basics as always I hope you give these a try.
The ingredients you will need to make it are:
-
Plain White Flour
-
White Sugar
-
Butter
-
Eggs
-
Lemon Juice
-
Lemon Zest
-
Milk
-
Baking Powder
-
Vanilla
-
Salt
-
Icing Sugar
You will need a stand mixer or an electric hand held beater for this one ideally.
To make the cupcakes you combine the flour, lemon zest and sugar together then the method for measuring the liquid ingredients is an interesting one.
In a one cup capacity jug or cup you add the eggs, melted butter and lemon juice, then you top this up to a full cup with milk.
Pour that into the flour, zest and sugar mixture then mix it on medium for 5 minutes until well combined, then you stir through the final ingredients.
Carefully spoon into the cupcake cases, ideally only half full so that when they rise they do not overflow as mine often do! Then bake until lightly golden brown and prepare the lemon icing.
This is just my basic vanilla icing with the addition of lemon juice and zest to five it a lovely lift in flavour. I have added some pretty yellow sprinkles as topping, or you could add a drop or two of yellow food colouring for a brighter result.
I hope you love this recipe, if you want to try buttercream with it be sure to check out my Vanilla Cupcake recipe!
Onto the recipe for easy lemon cupcakes, I hope you love it.
Lemon Cupcakes
Delicious, easy to make Lemon cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 Cup Plain White Flour, 150 grams
- 1 Cup White Sugar, 205 grams
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
- 28 grams (2 Tablespoons) Butter, Melted
- 2 Medium Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Milk (see method for amount)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Icing
- 1 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar, 135 grams
- 1 teaspoon Butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
- Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175C (350F) Bake
- Line muffin trays with cupcake cases
- In a large bowl or food mixer add the flour, lemon zest and sugar and stir to combine
- Use a One Cup capacity measuring cup or jug add the melted butter, lemon juice and 2 eggs, then fill the rest of the cup up with milk making a total measure of 1 cup of liquids, pour the liquids into the flour base and mix for 5 minutes on medium
- Add the baking powder and slowly stir, then add the vanilla and salt until just combined
- Pour into the prepared cupcake cases to half way and bake for 15-18 minutes until they spring back to a light touch and lightly golden brown.
- Leave to cool for at least 5 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- To prepare the icing, once the cupcakes have completely cooled, in a medium bowl add the sifted icing sugar, lemon zest, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla and stir well to combine.
- If necessary add half a teaspoon of water at at time to reach the desired consistency, thick but spreadable.
- Spread this over the top of the cupcakes with a knife, add sprinkles as you ice each cupcake if using.
- Store in an airtight container when not serving.
- Enjoy!
If you love this one be sure to comment down below when you make it!
Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my latest recipes on my blog. If you are not already be sure to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more deliciousness, and you can register your email in the subscription box below to receive all my recipes as I publish them.
Happy Baking
Anna
PIN IT! PINTEREST
Billie says
Would it still be spongy and soft if I used oil instead. The rest of the recipe I’ve have used of yours have never failed me when exchanging butter for oil
justamumnz says
Yes it should be fine as not a huge amount of butter to sub
Carol Taupo nz says
love this recipe cakes are soft and tasty, great wirh lemon icing freeze really well too, even when iced, microwave 20 secs!!
Carol
Pauline Edwards says
Brilliant easy recipe to make at short notice. Very tasty and low butter. I shall make again.
George Weir says
Made these dairy free turned out OK.