Description
These Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes are a delightful combination of tangy lemon and sweet raspberries, baked into moist, fluffy cupcakes and topped with a rich lemon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion, they are easy to make and impress with their fresh, vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Garnish
- Fresh raspberries
- Lemon slices
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners to ensure easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, which helps create a tender cupcake texture.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to fully incorporate them, then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add lemon flavor: Stir in the lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice to infuse the batter with fresh citrus flavor.
- Fold in raspberries: Gently fold in the fresh or frozen raspberries without thawing to keep them intact and prevent color bleeding.
- Fill cupcake liners: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cupcakes are cooked through.
- Cool cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely, preventing the frosting from melting.
- Prepare frosting base: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy, forming the base of the frosting.
- Add powdered sugar: Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, starting with 3 cups, beating on low until incorporated. Add more powdered sugar as needed to achieve your desired frosting thickness.
- Flavor the frosting: Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and add bright flavors.
- Adjust frosting consistency: If the frosting is too thick, thin it with a little more lemon juice or milk. If it’s too thin, add additional powdered sugar.
- Whip frosting: Beat the frosting on high speed for 2-3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy, perfect for spreading or piping.
- Frost cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, evenly frost the tops with the lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Garnish: Decorate the cupcakes with fresh raspberries, lemon slices, or lemon zest to enhance visual appeal and flavor.
- Chill cupcakes: For best results, chill the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve the raspberry lemon cupcakes chilled or at room temperature and enjoy this refreshing treat.
Notes
- Use frozen raspberries without thawing to help prevent bleeding into the batter.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Adjust powdered sugar in the frosting to reach your preferred sweetness and consistency.
- Chilling frosted cupcakes enhances frosting texture and flavor.
- You can substitute buttermilk with milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice if needed.
