Lemon Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream

These Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream are the perfect Summer cupcake! They are just bursting with flavor from the moist and tangy lemon cupcakes to the sweet, fresh raspberry buttercream.

These lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream are the epitome of summer! Lemon and raspberry pair so ridiculously well together. The raspberry buttercream is absolutely DELICIOUS and goes so well with he lemon cupcake base. It’s made with fresh raspberries and it’s total spoon to the bowl delicious that I almost didn’t want to frost the cupcakes with it. 

The lemon cupcake recipe is one I’ve been coming up with and testing over and over again for a while. They’re made with fresh lemon zest and juice, giving you a totally fresh and tangy-but-sweet-at-the-same-time cupcake! They are fluffy, yet dense and sturdy enough to stand up to a whole lot of frosting. To me, they’re perfect cupcake texture! I know you guys will love these.

Ingredients needed for Lemon Cupcakes

For the cupcakes

• All-purpose flour: Flour of choice for these cupcakes
• Granulated sugar: To sweeten the cupcakes
• Baking powder: This makes the cupcakes rise during baking.
• Unsalted butter: Creates a rich texture and also lends amazing flavor.
• Egg whites: To keep the cupcakes light and airy.
• Vanilla extract: For flavor.
• Sour cream: To keep the cupcakes moist.
• Milk: I like to use whole milk in this recipe but you can also use 2% if that is what you have on hand.
• Lemon zest: FLAVOR
• Lemon juice: More flavaaaa

Raspberry Buttercream

• Butter: Unsalted to control sodium.
• Powdered sugar: To sweeten and thicken frosting.
• Salt: I use a small amount to balance the sweetness.
• Raspberry sauce: Made from fresh raspberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice.

How to make the cupcakes

1. Make batter: Whisk flour and baking powder together and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add milk, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest stirring until completely combined. Pour in flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
2. Fill: Distribute batter to cupcake liners and fill them 2/3 full.
3. Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How to make Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

1. Make raspberry sauce: Add raspberries to a small saucepan and toss them with sugar and lemon juice.
2. Simmer: Simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching closely making sure they do not thicken up too much. Mash them in the pot very well and then transfer to a fine mesh sieve or strainer over a bowl and strain them to get all of the juice out. Cool to room temperature. Tip: Transfer to the refrigerator and stir often.
3. For the frosting: Cream butter until smooth. Add salt and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Pour in cooled raspberry sauce slowly until desired thickness is achieved.
4. Frost: Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

How do I store them?

These cupcakes will stay fresh for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Lemon Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 18 -20 cupcakes

Ingredients

  

*Lemon Cupcakes*

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbs sour cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• zest of 2 lemons about 4 tsp
• 2 tbs lemon juice

*Raspberry Sauce*

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice

*Raspberry Buttercream*

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup raspberry sauce

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour and baking powder together and set aside.
• In a separate bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until smooth, 2 minutes. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add milk, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest stirring until completely combined. Finally, pour in flour mixture and mix until just incorporated, you do not want to over mix.
• Distribute batter to each cupcake liner 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. While the cupcakes are cooling, begin preparing your frosting.
• In a small saucepan, add raspberries and toss them with sugar and lemon juice. Allow to simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching closely making sure they do not thicken up too much. Mash them in the pot very well and then transfer to a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and really strain them as well as you can. Make sure you press them down to get all of the juice out. Allow to cool to room temperature and thicken slightly, about 15 minutes. Transferring the mixture to another bowl and placing it int he refrigerator speeds up the process.
• For the frosting, cream butter until smooth with no lumps. Add salt and confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time. Pour in raspberry sauce slowly and gradually. You can add more or less depending on what you desire. Frost cupcakes once they are completely cooled.
• These Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream will stay fresh for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.