These are truly the best moist lemon cupcakes you can make! They're filled with fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and results in the lightest and fluffiest cupcakes. I topped them with my simple lemon cream cheese frosting recipe that any and all lemon lovers will enjoy.
These fluffy lemon cupcakes are absolutely bursting with fresh lemon flavor. I used my small lemon cake recipe as inspiration to create, in my opinion, the best lemon cupcakes!
Lemon desserts are always a hit in my family during the spring and summer seasons, and especially for Easter.
Lemon pairs so nicely with different fruit and flavors too, which is why I also love these homemade strawberry lemonade cupcakes and lemon poppy seed cupcakes.
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As a fellow home baker, I highly recommend topping these lemon cupcakes with the lemon cream cheese frosting, but they're also delicious with my easy lemon buttercream frosting and even this creamy blueberry buttercream.
Everything for these cupcakes comes together in just two mixing bowls and takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
If you wanted even more lemon flavor, you can fill these cupcakes with my homemade lemon curd recipe.
Ingredients for Moist Lemon Cupcakes
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour.
- Oil: You can use either vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Eggs: I like to use a combination of one egg and one egg white to create a soft and fluffy cupcake.
- Yogurt: This adds moisture to the cupcake batter. Feel free to substitute it with sour cream.
- Lemons: Please use fresh lemons. You need both lemon juice and lemon zest. Avoid lemon extract!
See the recipe card for the full ingredients list and the exact amounts.
How to Make The Best Lemon Cupcakes
Follow along below for the step-by-step process.
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg, egg white, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 3: Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the wet ingredients (flour, milk, flour), whisking just until everything is combined.
Step 4: Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ of the way full (just under 3 tablespoons of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Step 5: Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.
5 Ingredient Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 6: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until creamy and lump free (about 1-2 minutes).
Step 7: Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined.
Then increase the speed to high and beat until light and creamy.
Storing & Freezing
Place all extra cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not leave out at room temperature for more than 4 hours if they are frosted.
To freeze, individually wrap each unfrosted cupcake with plastic wrap and place into a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months.
Expert Baking Tips
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: If an ingredient calls to be at room temperature before baking, do it. This helps to ensure the best quality in both flavor and texture. If you don't, the cupcakes texture will be off.
- Fresh Lemons: Please use fresh lemons and avoid the store-bought bottled lemon juice. The flavor just isn't the same and you need both the juice and zest anyways.
- Decorating: I used the Wilton 1M piping tip to frost the tops of each cupcake. Feel free to decorate how you like, including the addition of sprinkles, lemon wedges, or even fresh fruit.
Recipe FAQs
Lemon cupcakes pair so well with so many different frostings. I'd recommend tangy cream cheese frosting, the best vanilla buttercream, or even a fresh fruit like homemade strawberry frosting.
I already have lemon cake recipes on my website. Check out this one layer lemon cake or this moist lemon blackberry cake.
More Lemon Recipes To Try
📖 Recipe
The Best Moist Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- 12-count muffin pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Citrus Zester
- Electric Stand Mixer
Ingredients:
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- ¼ cup yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (brick-style, not spreadable)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Lemon Cupcakes
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg, egg white, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the wet ingredients (flour, milk, flour), whisking just until everything is combined (be careful not to overmix).
- Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ of the way full (just under 3 tablespoons of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the centers for doneness and let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until creamy and lump free (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined (about 30 seconds). Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes (frosting should be light and creamy).
- Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost. I placed the frosting in a piping bag and used the Wilton 1M piping tip. Add extra lemon zest to the top or a lemon wedge (optional).
Oh my goodness these lemon cupcakes are so lemony! And they taste so so good with the lemon cream cheese frosting on top.