Lemon Cupcakes with Whipped Lemon Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes with Whipped Lemon Frosting

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes

These lemon cupcakes are so bright and flavorful! They're really easy to make; perfectly moist, fresh, and tangy; and that lemon whipped cream frosting is nothing short of divine!

Print Recipe

Equipment

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

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

15.25 ounces lemon cake mix 432 grams (1 box)
6 ounces lemon yogurt 170 grams (1 container)
2 tablespoons olive oil 27 grams
⅔ cup buttermilk 151 grams
3 large eggs 150 grams

For the Whipped Lemon Frosting

1½ cups heavy whipping cream 341 grams
1¼ cup powdered sugar 141 grams
½ teaspoon lemon extract 2 grams
¼ teaspoon Lemon zest
2 tablespoons prepared lemon pudding 35 grams, see note

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

Preheat oven 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.
Once cupcakes are completely cooled, make up the frosting, and frost the cupcakes. If you are not going to eat them right away, I would wait to frost them and place both the cupcakes and the frosting in the refrigerator.

For the 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 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 prepared lemon pudding
Frost the cupcakes your favorite way! I love to pipe my frosting, so I used a Wilton 2D piping tip for these cupcakes. Your can also garnish with some fine lemon zest on top, place lemon slices cut in half, or put sprinkles on top if you would like.

Video

Notes

Pudding: You can substitute the lemon pudding with an equal amount of vanilla pudding.
Don't over mix 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.
Use room temperature ingredients. 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 uniformed texture.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.

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