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Lemon cupcake with pink frosting with a glass of milk
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Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

These lemon raspberry cupcakes are fluffy, moist, and bursting with fresh flavors. They start with lemon cupcakes that have a soft crumb and a bright lemon flavor. Then they're topped with creamy raspberry frosting that's made with real berries. The flavor combination makes these a showstopper! 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting, Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 16 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 480kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour AKA plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest*
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
  • ¼ cup milk room temperature
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice*

Raspberry Frosting

  • 6 oz raspberries fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream as needed

Instructions

Lemon Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin papers. You will end up with about 12-14 cupcakes in total.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In a separate large bowl beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until fluffy.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs 1 at a time.
  • In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl gently whisk together the milk and sour cream with a fork. 
  • Beat about ½ of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by about ½ of the milk and sour cream. Repeat with the rest of the flour & sour cream mixture.
  • Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the lemon juice. 
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan filling each about ⅔ to ¾ full. You will end up with 12-14 cupcakes in total.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Raspberry Frosting

  • Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor.
  • Push the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds. (I use a rubber spatula for this). 
  • Add the puree without seeds to a medium saucepan over low-medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring. 
  • Boil for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is about ¼ of the original volume and thick like jam.
  • Remove from the heat and place in the freezer or fridge to cool fully.
  • In a large bowl beat the butter until fluffy. Starting with mixer on a low speed, beat in 2 cups powdered sugar.
  • Mix in 2-3 tablespoons of the cold raspberry sauce. (It must be cold, otherwise the frosting can separate). Add in the salt.
  • Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached. Mix in a little cream if needed.
  • Frost the cupcakes with a piping bag and tip (I used a 1M tip) or a knife. 

Notes

  1. Lemons: You'll need 2 large lemons or 3 smaller lemons for this recipe. I recommend zesting the lemons first, then squeezing the juice. 
  2. Frosting: This recipe makes enough to frost the cupcakes with a lot of frosting using a piping bag (as pictured). If you'd like a thin layer with knife, divide the recipe in half. 
  3. Make Ahead Tips: The cupcakes can be baked 1 day in advance. Cool fully, then store overnight in an airtight container at room temperature. You can puree the berries and boil down the puree the day before you plan to serve. Cool fully and store in the fridge in an airtight container until you're ready to make the frosting. I recommend making the frosting the day you plan to serve the cupcakes.
  4. Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 12 hours (as long as your kitchen isn't warm). Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  5. Nutrition: Nutrition details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming that the recipe yields 12 cupcakes and all the frosting is used. 

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 816IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg