I tucked a playful twist into my lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream that made me rethink Lemon Cupcake Ideas, and I’m sharing the unexpected step that makes them stand out.

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I love a cupcake that wakes up your face and makes you grin. These lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream are that exact thing.

I used bright lemon zest to punch the cake and a silky raspberry puree in the frosting, the kind that stains your spoon and makes you lick it. It’s playful but not childish, sweet but with a little edge, and honestly I cant stop sneaking one when no ones looking.

If you like Cupcakes With Buttercream that actually taste of something real you’ll want to click through to LoveBakesGoodCakes.com for the full recipe.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: mostly carbs, some protein, gives structure, not hugely nutritious.
Unsalted butter: rich in fat, adds moisture and flavor, high calories, ok in moderation.
Granulated sugar: pure carbs, makes cupcakes sweet, no real nutrients, use sparingly.
Eggs: good protein and fat, help bind and leaven, add richness.
Lemons: bright citrus acid, adds tang and aroma, vitamin C, low calories.
Buttermilk: tangy, tenderizes crumb, adds slight acidity, has some calcium and protein.
Raspberries: fruity, full of fiber and vitamin C, tart sweetness, natural color.
Powdered sugar: smooth sweetener for frosting, pure carbs, makes silky texture.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (195 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

1 cup (226 g, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened for frosting

4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted

about 1/2 cup (120 ml) raspberry puree, strained or about 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed for frosting

1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting

pinch of salt

optional: freeze dried raspberries or extra lemon zest for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners; make sure butter, eggs and buttermilk are at room temp so things mix up smooth.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside. Sifting helps but not required.

3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the zest of 2 lemons, mixing until combined.

4. Stir 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice into 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture (dry, wet, dry), mixing just until combined each time, do not overmix or cupcakes get tough.

5. Divide batter evenly among liners (about 2/3 full), bounce the pan gently to release big bubbles, and bake 18 to 22 minutes until tops are pale golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Meanwhile make the raspberry puree: if using fresh or frozen raspberries (about 1 1/2 cups), puree and then press through a fine mesh strainer to yield about 1/2 cup (120 ml) seedless puree; if using ready puree just strain it to remove seeds. This step stops grainy frosting, trust me.

7. For the frosting, beat 1 cup (226 g, 2 sticks) softened unsalted butter until smooth, then gradually add 4 cups (480 g) sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time on low so you dont get a cloud of sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

8. Add the strained raspberry puree a little at a time until you get the color and flavor you like (use all or part of the 1/2 cup), then add 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk as needed to reach a fluffy piping consistency. Taste and adjust sugar or puree, if it’s too soft chill for 10 minutes, too thin add more powdered sugar.

9. Pipe or spread the raspberry buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra lemon zest or crushed freeze dried raspberries if using. Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, bring to room temp before serving for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Paper cupcake liners (dont skip ’em)
4. Electric mixer (hand or stand)
5. Mixing bowls — one large, one medium
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Whisk
8. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding
9. Fine mesh strainer for seedless raspberry puree
10. Wire cooling rack plus a piping bag and round tip or an offset spatula for frosting

FAQ

Can I use frozen raspberries? Yes, you can. Thaw them, puree and strain out the seeds. Frozen berries are usually wetter so simmer the puree a few minutes to reduce water if it's very thin, or use freeze dried raspberry powder for color without extra liquid.

Why did my buttercream get runny or curdled? Usually from adding too much puree at once or using melted butter. Start with softened not melted butter, add powdered sugar first, then add raspberry puree slowly. If it gets too thin, add more powdered sugar or chill the bowl for 10 to 20 minutes then re-whip. If too stiff, add 1 teaspoon cream at a time.

How do I keep the cupcakes moist and tender? Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, use room temp eggs and buttermilk, and dont overmix after adding the flour. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, overbaking dries them out.

Can I make these ahead or freeze them? Yes. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well up to 2 months wrapped tightly, thaw at room temp or in the fridge then frost. Buttercream can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days or frozen about 1 month, thaw in fridge then re-whip before using.

How do I make the lemon flavor pop more? Add more fresh zest rather than juice, or brush the warm cupcakes with a quick lemon syrup (equal parts lemon juice and sugar, warmed until dissolved) for an extra punch without drying them out.

How do I get a bright pink raspberry buttercream and make it pipe nicely? Use strained raspberry puree or concentrated reduced puree for color, or stir in freeze dried raspberry powder to avoid thinning the frosting. For piping aim for a medium stiffness: add 2 to 4 tablespoons cream to adjust, chill briefly if too soft, and use a large star or round tip for pretty swirls.

Lemon Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap for cake flour if you want a lighter, more tender cupcake — use about 1 1/4 cups cake flour for every 1 1/2 cups AP and sift it; or use whole wheat pastry flour cup for cup but expect a slightly denser, nuttier crumb, maybe add 1 to 2 tbsp extra liquid.
Buttermilk: make a quick sub by adding 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes until slightly thickened; or thin plain yogurt with a little milk to the right pourable consistency and use 1:1.
Raspberry puree: if you dont have fresh berries use seedless raspberry jam or preserves, thin with a splash of hot water or lemon juice until smooth (about 3 parts jam to 1 part water); or use freeze dried raspberry powder rehydrated with a little water to taste.
Unsalted butter for frosting: if you only have salted butter just skip the added pinch of salt in the recipe; or for firmer, pipeable frosting replace up to half the butter with vegetable shortening but keep some butter for flavor, youll get more stable peaks.

Pro Tips

– Use the room temp rule but be careful how you get there. If your butter goes too soft or starts to melt, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up again, because slightly too-soft butter will make the batter flat and the cupcakes dense. If eggs are cold, put them in warm water for 5 minutes, dont microwave them.

– Measure flour properly. Spoon it into the cup or better yet weigh it, because packing flour makes cupcake texture heavy. If you only have cups, fluff the flour, spoon it in, then level with a knife. Little differences matter more with small batches like this.

– Strain the raspberry puree and add it in tiny amounts to the frosting. The seeds and watery puree will make buttercream grainy and soft, so strain and taste as you go. If the color or flavor is weak, keep adding puree a teaspoon at a time, and if the frosting gets too loose, chill it for 10 minutes then whip again or add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.

– Don’t overmix the batter, mix just until the streaks are gone. Overmixing builds gluten and makes cupcakes chewy. Also, bake them in the middle of the oven on the same rack, rotate the pan halfway only if your oven has hot spots, and always test with a toothpick in the center so you dont overbake.

Lemon Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I tucked a playful twist into my lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream that made me rethink Lemon Cupcake Ideas, and I’m sharing the unexpected step that makes them stand out.

Servings

servings

Calories

488

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Paper cupcake liners (dont skip ’em)
4. Electric mixer (hand or stand)
5. Mixing bowls — one large, one medium
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Whisk
8. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding
9. Fine mesh strainer for seedless raspberry puree
10. Wire cooling rack plus a piping bag and round tip or an offset spatula for frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (195 g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup (226 g, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened for frosting
4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
about 1/2 cup (120 ml) raspberry puree, strained or about 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed for frosting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting
pinch of salt
optional: freeze dried raspberries or extra lemon zest for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners; make sure butter, eggs and buttermilk are at room temp so things mix up smooth.
Whisk together 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside. Sifting helps but not required.
In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the zest of 2 lemons, mixing until combined.
Stir 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice into 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture (dry, wet, dry), mixing just until combined each time, do not overmix or cupcakes get tough.
Divide batter evenly among liners (about 2/3 full), bounce the pan gently to release big bubbles, and bake 18 to 22 minutes until tops are pale golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile make the raspberry puree: if using fresh or frozen raspberries (about 1 1/2 cups), puree and then press through a fine mesh strainer to yield about 1/2 cup (120 ml) seedless puree; if using ready puree just strain it to remove seeds. This step stops grainy frosting, trust me.
For the frosting, beat 1 cup (226 g, 2 sticks) softened unsalted butter until smooth, then gradually add 4 cups (480 g) sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time on low so you dont get a cloud of sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
Add the strained raspberry puree a little at a time until you get the color and flavor you like (use all or part of the 1/2 cup), then add 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk as needed to reach a fluffy piping consistency. Taste and adjust sugar or puree, if it’s too soft chill for 10 minutes, too thin add more powdered sugar.
Pipe or spread the raspberry buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra lemon zest or crushed freeze dried raspberries if using. Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, bring to room temp before serving for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.