These Sherbet Cupcakes provide the perfect taste of summer you’ve been looking for. They have a fresh fruity flavor, and their vibrant colors make these fun cupcakes the perfect addition to any summer party! This recipe is full of good stuff, don’t miss out; try this recipe and bring a little bit of summer to you!
What’s in Summer Cupcakes?
Sherbert cupcakes may taste like summer, but what goes into them? These ingredients create the light summer citrus taste of these delicious cupcakes!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the main dry ingredient in our cupcakes. Make sure to measure using the spoon-and-level method, as adding too much flour can result in dry cupcakes.
- Salt: Salt helps to cut the sugar and provide the right balance to the sweetness of the batter.
- Leavening: Leavening is what allows the cupcakes to rise and become light and fluffy.
- Butter: Unsalted.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes.
- Vegetable Shortening: Vegetable shortening adds richness to the cupcakes.
- Eggs: Bind the cake batter together, so the cupcakes don’t fall apart.
- Sour Cream: This creates a thicker creamier consistency for your cupcakes.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon or lime juice provides the citrus taste that makes these cupcakes taste like summer.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of the sugar.
- Powdered Sugar: Gives the icing structure and sweetness without making it gritty.
- Food Coloring: A few drops of food coloring is all you need to give these fun cupcakes their vibrant look.
If you’re looking for a substitute for shortening, room-temperature butter can be used instead. Likewise, if you would like to replace the sour cream in this recipe, plain yogurt can be used instead with a slight flavor difference but with the same textural outcome. And finally, if you’re out of fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice can be used instead.
Variations on Summer Themed Cupcakes
I chose to flavor all of my sherbet cupcakes with lemon juice and zest, but you can change up the flavors to match the color of the icing. Flavor one-third of the cupcakes as written, flavor one-third with orange juice and zest, and flavor the last third with lime juice and zest. Top them with colorful sprinkles or gummy fruit slices.
If your cupcakes are a bit flat, that’s most likely because you didn’t add enough baking powder. Also, be sure to check the expiration date on your baking powder! If it’s expired, it just won’t do the trick.
Dry cupcakes can be caused by 2 things. You may have measured the ingredients incorrectly, or you might have overmixed the batter. It’s important to scoop and level your ingredients if you’re not using a scale, and it’s important to have a light hand when mixing the batter.
If your buttercream frosting is too thin, chill it for 10-20 minutes, then whip it again. If it is still too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If your buttercream is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
How to Store Cupcakes for Summer
Store leftover sherbet cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
How to Freeze Citrus Cupcakes
Freeze sherbet cupcakes tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
What to Serve with Cute Summer Cupcakes
Don’t stop with just these fun sherbet cupcakes, though. These orange sherbet cupcakes can also be paired with our Summer Berry Galettes, Key Lime Cheesecake, or Iced Lemon Shortbread Cookies. Or if these Sherbet cupcakes have you craving a real frozen treat, you can try our No Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!
Sherbet Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour 420 grams
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 5 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda 2 grams
- 1 cup salted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 133 grams
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening 61 grams (⅓ stick)
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk 14 grams, room temperature
- 11 tablespoons sour cream 156 grams (½ cup + 3 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 42 grams from 1½ lemons
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 6 grams
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest 12 grams, from 2 lemons
For the Frosting
- 5 cups powdered sugar 565 grams
- 1½ cups unsalted butter 339 grams, room temperature (3 sticks)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest 12 grams, from 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice 9 grams, from ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams
- Food coloring orange, green, and yellow
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 wells of 2 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.3½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and shortening together on high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until smooth, fluffy, and lighter in color.1 cup salted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup vegetable shortening
- Add the eggs and beat together for 30 seconds, or until fully incorporated. Scrape the sides down.2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk
- Add in the remaining ingredients and beat together for 30-45 seconds or until completely combined. Add in the flour mixture and mix only until the flour has been incorporated.11 tablespoons sour cream, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Divide the cupcake batter between the cupcake tins.
- Place the cupcake pans into the oven to bake for 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Add all of the ingredients, except for the food coloring, to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down intermittently to ensure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.5 cups powdered sugar, 1½ cups unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Once smooth and fluffy, evenly divide the frosting into 3 separate bowls. Add a drop of food coloring to each bowl, separately. Mix until the frosting is completely colored.Food coloring
- Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a round tip or tip of your choice. Pipe the frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Optionally, top with sprinkles or gummy candies.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for the cupcakes.
- Feel free to swap the lemons for oranges or limes!
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to prevent dry cupcakes.
- Take care not to overmix the batter; otherwise, your cupcakes will end up dense and tough.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting off.
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