The Story:
If by now, after 2 other lemon cupcake recipes, you are wondering if I was consumed by a zesty frenzy? You would be right. I kept thinking… “Okay, how can I do classy easter cupcakes?” I thought of lemons, but here’s the thing with lemons. They are much cheaper if you buy them from Costco in bulk. But then I had 10 lemons sitting in my kitchen and I couldn’t let them go to waste.
Lemon Cream Cupcakes
Servings 24 Cupcakes
Ingredients
Lemon Cake:
- 1 box White Cake Mix
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 3 lemons
Lemon Glaze:
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
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2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps.
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3. In a large bowl, gently whisk egg whites, oil, buttermilk, lemon juice, sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest together.
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4. Combine cake mix and wet ingredients and stir well.
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5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until and inserted knife comes out clean.
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6. Lemon Glaze: In a bowl, combine all ingredients using a whisk. Add powdered sugar until your glaze reaches the consistency of tomato soup. (I can't think of anything else that has that consistency...)
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7. Use a toothpick to punch small holes into the top of each cupcake so the glaze can sink into the cake.
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8. Spoon glaze over the nearly cooled cupcakes, and allow time for the glaze to set.
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9. Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and continue to beat in vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. If frosting becomes too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk.
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10. Pipe frosting into cooled cupcakes and top with lemon slices or sprinkles.
These look wonderful, like everything else you make!
Yum! I made your classic vanilla w/chocolate buttercream cupcakes over the weekend. A HUGE hit! These may very well be next.
Delicious! I think I’ll attempt making these sometime, I love lemon.
Hi:
Big fan of your website!!
Is there a certain cupcake liner that you use?
When I make the vanilla or white cupcakes sometimes my edges are dark? Do you think that it is from the cupcake liner or becuase I am putting too much batter in the liner?
Cupcakes are still deliciuos even though some may have a dark edge.
Thanks
I like to use grease proof liners. And I know what you’re talking about with the dark rims. Your cupcake liners should come just above your pan. You get the dark rims because the cake rises and then hits the side of the pan when it gets above the liners. So, sadly the way to fix the problem is to buy a new pan (a shorter on). An easy fix, but it costs about 20 dollars 🙁 Good luck!
These cupcakes are AMAZING! In a “Cupcake War” challenge at work these cupcakes took first place for taste. Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes. I cannot wait to try another flavor!
These cupcakes sound so yummy! I always love things that use a cream cheese icing too! I will have to give this a try (I don’t think my husband will let me do otherwise if he sees this recipe on my dessert pin board 🙂 )
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i was wondering if i could use lemon cake mix instead i have to bake tonight for tomorrow early and all i have boxes of lemon cake mix ! 🙁
this recipe sounds so good would love to try for tomorrow thank you.
Yes, that will work just fine!
These cupcakes look absolutely amazing, I can’t wait to try!!! My only question is, your buttercream calls for powered sugar can you still taste the powder sugar?
The powdered sugar gives the frosting sweetness and makes it thick
I have made these a couple times now. They’re always a huge hit! LOVE your site. Thank you so much for being a queen in the kitchen and sharing your love of baking with us that are better at just following recipes 🙂
Lizzy, you are just amazing!! I was on the quest for the perfect cupcake for my daughters baby blessing luncheon when my friend suggested your website. Holy smokes! I was instantly hooked! These lemon cupcakes and the oreo crumb cupcakes won and we served them both. I think I tried about 5 or 6 of your recipes and seriously loved every one of them. Now I might be addicted to baking. Your website is darling, you are darling, thank you for sharing your talent with us!
I always come to your site for cupcakes ideas 🙂 i loved this recipe although i found i was not fond of the white cake mix so i used a lemon cake mix the 2nd time & still added in some zest and a little bit of lemon juice. they were amazing. Thank you 🙂 How do you get the creamcheese to pile that way when you frost? mine wont stay that high?
These sound fabulous!!! Can they be frozen after they’re glazed, but if they aren’t iced?
Yes they can be!
For high elevation would I just make the adjustments mentioned on the cake mix box?
I usually don’t, if you thicken it up with sour cream and buttermilk, usually its fine. But often times I will fill my liners less, that seems to help.
These sound great. I also love the way they look with the dark liners. Where do you get those?
I buy them in bulk from Thebakerskitchen.net
These were PHENOMENAL. Unbelievable. They were so rich yet so light and refreshing and a HUGE hit. Deifinitely definitely definitely a MUST-do. My favorite recipe of yours so far. Thank you!!
They look beautiful and I think they would be great as wedding cupcakes.
I am planning to make these cupcakes for a baby shower. But I’m gonna make mini cupcakes. Any advice on cooking time, and yield I should get? Also, I’ve never done a glaze like this. How long does it need to set before frosting? Also, what’s your favorite brand of white cake mix to use? Many thanks!
It should give you about 40 cupcakes, baking time will be about 10-12 minutes, glaze will set in about 10 minutes depending on how hot our kitchen is…maybe longer. And my fav cake mix is Pillsbury!
Thanks! Can’t wait to make these tomorrow 🙂
I made these for a baby shower and they were awesome. I made a batch of the lemon and then substituted all the lemon ingredients for orange. They turned out wonderful! If I had any limes I would have done a batch of lime as well 🙂
can this batter be used for cake instead of cupcakes??
Of course!
these sound great but instead of whit cake mix can I use yellow cake mix? that’s all I have in my pantry : (
Oh of course!
Can I use yellow cake mix??
I am having a party in a week how can I make and store them early? How early can I make the,?
The frosting will be fine made today and stored in the fridge, take out a dat before using to let it soften. As for the cake part, Only make it 1 or two days in advance and keep them sealed in a tupperware until ready to frost!
Lizzy, I am having trouble with my icings this summer and I believe it might be due to the humidity. I switched my cream cheese from store brand to Philadelphia Brand but it has not helped. Icing looks great when I pipe it on, but within a few minutes it drops. Any hints on how to keep the icing stiff without adding additional sugar?
Add extra powdered sugar! The heat will take a toll on your frosting…
I will be trying this recipe this weekend for a bridal shower. Can you suggest another kind of frosting that will pair well with this recipe, not a hug fan of cream cheese frosting. Need it to be a white frosting.