These lemon raspberry cupcakes are fresh, fruity, and completely irresistible!
Each bite features a tender lemon-infused sponge with a surprise raspberry jam center.
But it’s the cloud of raspberry buttercream on top that really makes them pop!
Serve them for any occasion, and they won’t last long.
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Visual Appeal: The pink-tinted frosting, fresh raspberries, and lemon zest create an Instagram-worthy presentation.
Make Ahead Friendly: Each component can be prepared in advance, saving you time in the kitchen later.
Sweetly Tart Taste: Between the zippy lemon, tart raspberries, and sweet frosting, every mouthful is perfectly balanced.
Ingredients
- Fresh Lemon Juice & Zest: Add bright citrus flavor to the cupcakes and frosting.
- Granulated Sugar: Creates structure, sweetness, and a tender crumb.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Give the cupcakes rise so they become light and airy.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and helps balance the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness, moisture, and tender texture in the cupcakes. It also creates a smooth, creamy base for the frosting.
- Eggs: Add structure, richness, and moisture to the cupcakes.
- Vanilla Extract: For depth and sweet warmth.
- Whole Milk & Sour Cream: To ensure a perfectly moist, tender crumb.
- Raspberry Jam: For the center and the frosting.
- Buttercream: A smooth blend of butter, powdered sugar, jam, heavy cream, and lemon juice.
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
These lemon raspberry cupcakes are a delightful fusion of bright citrus and sweet berries, creating an irresistible treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Finished with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious.
Luckily, though, they’re a cinch to recreate!
1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. WHISK the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. RUB the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl until fragrant. Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
4. FOLD in the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Pour into the liners.
5. BAKE for 5 minutes at 375°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake for 10–12 minutes without opening the oven door.
6. COOL the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
7. BEAT the butter until smooth. Gradually blend in the powdered sugar, ½ cup jam, 2 tablespoons cream, and lemon juice. Adjust with more cream if needed.
8. CUT a small hole in each cooled cupcake and fill with the remaining jam. Replace the cake cutout.
9. FROST the cupcakes and garnish with raspberries and lemon wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting are officially my new love language.
These little beauties are the perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and oh-so-pretty.
They’re bright, fresh, and just begging to be shared at brunches, birthdays, or honestly, any day that could use a little extra joy.
But before you get mixing, check out these tips and tricks:
- Use fresh lemons. Bottled juice often tastes bitter and synthetic. So, always use fresh in baking.
- Homemade jam. Cook 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until thick. Strain if desired and set aside to cool.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. This helps everything mix better, keeping you from overmixing.
- How to add the filling. Use a cupcake corer or cut a cone shape with a knife. You don’t have to add the sponge back; I just like to.
- Cool the cupcakes completely. It’s a pain when you’re in a rush, but the buttercream will melt off if the sponge is still warm.
- Variations. Experiment with different fruit fillings, use mascarpone frosting instead of buttercream, or incorporate crushed pistachios into the batter for added texture and flavor.
How to Store
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s as fun to make as it is to eat, these are calling your name.
And yes, they even store well!
To Store: Keep unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Store the buttercream in a separate container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To Freeze: Wrap unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap. Store them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Note: I don’t recommend freezing frosted cupcakes, as they can turn grainy after thawing.
More Zesty Lemon Treats You Have to Try
Lemon Cake Roll
Lemon Icebox Cake
Lemon Blueberry Trifle
Lemon Raspberry Cookies
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
12
servings30
minutes20
minutes877
kcalThese lemon raspberry cupcakes are filled with sweet jam and topped with fluffy raspberry buttercream. They’re fresh, fruity, and completely irresistible!
Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup thick raspberry jam, divided
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Fresh raspberries and lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and fill a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- Make the Cupcakes: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest until well combined and fragrant. Add the melted butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold gently by hand with a spatula until just combined.
- Divide the batter into the paper lines, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 5 minutes at 375°F then reduce the oven to 350°F and continue baking for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven when they’re lightly golden and spring back when touched. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and slowly blend in the powdered sugar.
- Add 1/2 cup of jam, 2 tablespoons of cream, and the lemon juice and beat until smooth. Add more cream, if needed.
- Assemble: Cut a small circle in the center of each cooled cupcake, about 1-2 inches deep. Fill the hole with the remaining raspberry jam, then press the cake cutout on top.
- Pipe or spread the frosting over the cupcakes and garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon wedges, if desired.
- Chill the cupcakes for 30-60 minutes to set the frosting. Then, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh lemons. Bottled juice often tastes bitter and synthetic. So, always use fresh in baking.
- Homemade jam. Cook 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until thick. Strain if desired and set aside to cool.
