Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

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.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

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

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 ***

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.

Video

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