Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

My easy lemon cupcakes with lemon whipped cream frosting are ultra moist and taste totally homemade! I add creamy lemon yogurt and a splash of buttermilk to lemon cake mix as a simple upgrade to these boxed cupcakes. Plus I made a bright, zesty, lemon-filled version of my whipped cream frosting for the perfect finish!

Top Reader Review

Just the right amount of lemon tang and sweet! Love this!

–

Rhonda Garrison

Moist Lemon Cupcakes with Cake Mix

There’s no reason to go totally homemade when you can make rich and moist lemon cupcakes with cake mix and a few upgrades. I swap traditional oil for olive oil and water for a mix of buttermilk and lemon yogurt. It enhances the tangy flavor of the cupcakes and makes them ridiculously moist.

But what really sets these cupcakes apart is my lemon whipped cream frosting. It’s soft, airy, and has the perfect balance of tang and sweetness. Instead of a heavy buttercream, I use cold whipped cream blended with a little powdered sugar, lemon extract, and instant lemon pudding mix. The pudding mix gives this lemon frosting structure and a gorgeous creamy texture without weighing it down.

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Stable Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Professional bakers often use gelatin to stabilize whipped cream, but there’s an easier (and tastier) home-baker trick: instant pudding mix. The starches in the pudding naturally thicken the cream, helping it stay fluffy and pipeable without deflating or weeping. Plus, it enhances the lemon flavor, too! That’s why this lemon whipped cream frosting holds up beautifully, even if you frost your cupcakes ahead of time.

4.70 from 33 votes

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

These easy lemon cupcakes with lemon whipped cream frosting start with boxed cake mix and lemon yogurt for a shortcut that tastes completely homemade. They’re light, fluffy, and bursting with citrus flavor—perfect moist lemon cupcakes for spring parties or weekend baking.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• Cupcake Tin
• Hand Mixer
• Piping Tip Set (optional)

Serves 16 cupcakes

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Ingredients

For the Lemon Cupcakes:

• ▢ 15.25 ounces lemon cake mix (1 box)
• ▢ 6 ounces lemon yogurt room temperature (1 container)*
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil **
• ▢ ⅔ cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature

For the Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting:

• ▢ 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon lemon extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dry instant lemon pudding mix ***

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Instructions

For the Lemon Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside. Place mixing bowl and beaters into the freezer while you bake the cake, so it will be nice and cold when you go to make the whipped cream frosting.
• In a separate large bowl, mix the cake mix, yogurt, oil, buttermilk, and eggs together until well combined. Be careful to not overmix.
  15.25 ounces lemon cake mix, 6 ounces lemon yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ⅔ cup buttermilk, 3 large eggs
  
• Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 11-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  
• Remove cupcakes from the oven and let sit for about 2 minutes in the cupcake tin. Remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
  

For the Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting:

• In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, lemon extract, and lemon zest until soft peaks form.
  1½ cups heavy whipping cream, 1¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon extract, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
  
• After soft peaks form, add the pudding mix and beat for a few seconds longer, about 20 seconds, as it will set up quickly. Be careful to not over mix or it will begin to separate.
  2 tablespoons dry instant lemon pudding mix
  
• Frost the cupcakes as desired.
  

Notes

*You can substitute plain or vanilla yogurt.

**I like the little bit of flavor olive oil adds, but vegetable or canola oil also work well.

***Make sure to use dry instant pudding mix, not prepared pudding or cook-and-serve.

Tips:

• Cold equipment helps the whipped cream set faster and keeps it stable for longer.
• Use room temperature ingredients for the cake. I like to take everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before I want to make them. The ingredients will combine more easily and you will have a more uniform texture.
• Don’t overmix the cupcake batter. Over mixing causes the gluten to develop too much and you will end up with flatter cupcakes that aren’t so light and airy.
• The cupcakes should look firm and slightly golden when they’re finished baking. Insert a toothpick into the center–if there is any batter, they need to bake longer.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
• If your kitchen is warm or the whipped frosting feels too soft, chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before piping. 
• For that bakery-style look, I love to pipe my lemon whipped cream frosting. I used a Wilton 2D piping tip for these lemon cupcakes. 
• Add a swirl of lemon curd or a candied lemon slice on top for presentation

Make-Ahead: You can easily make the cupcakes a day or two ahead of time. It’s best to bake the cupcakes and store them at room temp. Then make the lemon frosting fresh before serving.

Storage: Store unfrosted lemon cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

 

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Amount Per Serving (1 cupcake)

Calories 264 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 242mg11%

Potassium 79mg2%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 398IU8%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

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How to Make Lemon Cupcakes and Whipped Lemon Frosting Step-by-Step

Mix the Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F, line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake liners, and set aside. Place your mixing bowl and beaters into the freezer while you bake the cake, so it will be nice and cold when you go to make the whipped cream frosting. In a separate large bowl, mix 15.25 ounces (1 box) of lemon cake mix, 6 ounces (1 container) of room-temperature lemon yogurt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ⅔ cup of room-temperature buttermilk, and 3 large, room-temperature eggs together until well combined. Be careful to not overmix, or your cupcakes will turn out flat and dense.

Portion the Cupcakes: Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full with batter so they don’t overflow in the oven.

Bake the Cupcakes: Bake your lemon cupcakes in the preheated oven for 11-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The cupcakes should look firm and slightly golden when they’re finished baking, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them sit for about 2 minutes in the cupcake tin before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack. Wait until the cupcakes have completely cooled before making the frosting.

Beat the Frosting: In a large chilled bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 1½ cups of cold heavy whipping cream, 1¼ cups of powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon of lemon extract, and ½ teaspoon of lemon zest until soft peaks form.

Add the Pudding: After soft peaks form, add 2 tablespoons of dry lemon pudding mix, and beat for about 20 seconds, as it will set up quickly. Be careful to not over mix or it will begin to separate.

Frost the Cupcakes: If your kitchen is warm or the whipped frosting feels too soft, chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before piping. Frost your lemon cupcakes any way you desire and enjoy! I used a Wilton 2D piping tip.