How to make lemon cupcakes from scratch with a moist and zesty lemon cake from fresh lemon peel and a lemon buttercream frosting. It’s a light and sweet cupcake.

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients for Lemon Cupcakes

Shortening
Granulated Sugar
Eggs
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Milk
Lemon Extract
Fresh Lemon Zest (Grate the colorful yellow part of the peel.)

Ingredients for Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Confectioners’ Sugar
Butter
Milk
Lemon Extract

How to Grate a Lemon

Use either a grater that has a zester side or an actual zester.

To get lemon zest from a lemon, grate only the colorful yellow parts of the lemon peel. This is the part that is full of bright lemon flavor.

Avoid grating the white parts of the peel because it can have a bitter taste. Add lemon extract and lemon zest and mix.

How Much Zest From One Lemon?

It takes 2 medium-sized lemons to get the 2 tablespoons of zest needed for this recipe.

Lemon Zest Replacement

Alternatively, most baking aisles at the grocery have ground lemon peel in the herbs and spices section.
It does not have as strong of a lemon flavor, but I have used it in lemon cupcakes combined with lemon extract and still had decent lemon flavor.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes From Scratch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake pan(s) with 24 regular-sized cupcake liners.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix together shortening and sugar until they are creamy. Add eggs and mix well.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Begin alternating these dry ingredients with milk as you add them to the mixing bowl.

Blend well after each addition of dry ingredients and milk.

Add lemon extract and lemon zest to batter and mix.

Fill each cupcake liner with approximately 3 tablespoons of batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-16 minutes until cupcakes are cooked through the center.

Test with a toothpick in the center of a cupcake to check for doneness.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Mix together butter, 2 tablespoons milk, and lemon extract. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar. Add 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed.

Frost cupcakes once they have fully cooled.

Try these other tasty cupcakes!

Enjoy!

Lemon Cupcakes

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Recipe by Simply Happenings Course: DessertCuisine: American

Servings

cupcakes

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

How to make lemon cupcakes from scratch with a moist and zesty lemon cake from fresh lemon peel and a lemon buttercream frosting. It’s a light and sweet cupcake.

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes
1/2 cup Shortening
1 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Milk
1 tsp Lemon Extract
2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Zest from 2 Medium-Sized Lemons (Grate the colorful yellow part of the peel.)
Lemon Frosting
3 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
1/3 cup Butter, softened
2-3 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Lemon Extract
Lemon Drops, Lemon Heads, or Yellow Sprinkles, for topping

Directions

Lemon Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Begin alternating dry ingredients with milk as you add them to the mixing bowl. Blend well after each addition. Add lemon extract and lemon zest and mix.
Fill each cupcake liner with approximately 3 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 12-16 minutes until cupcakes are cooked through the center. Test with a toothpick in the center of a cupcake to check for doneness.
Lemon Frosting
Mix together butter, 2 tablespoons milk, and lemon extract. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar. Add 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed. Frost cupcakes once they have fully cooled.

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