How to make lemon cupcakes with lemon filling and homemade lemon buttercream frosting!

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Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to work with when it comes to baking my sweet treats, especially in the summertime! Something about that summer heat tends to make most desserts sit heavier on the stomach. But I’ve noticed that lemon treats don’t tend to weigh you down quite as much.

Since I like treating my loved ones to irresistible sweet treats year-round, I knew I wanted to make some spectacular summer sweets that my family could enjoy without bogging them down in the summer heat. I knew that some sweet lemon cupcakes would be the perfect solution!

And I was right! I made some scrumptious lemon cupcakes, stuffed them with lemon filling, topped them with lemon buttercream swirls, and garnished them with adorable lemon twists! Talk about the perfect summer lemon treat!

Even though this scrumptious lemon cupcake recipe involves several stages, it’s a simple process to follow along with so anyone can easily make these irresistible cupcakes! Ready to get started? Here’s how to make my Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Filling!

Cupcake Tools and Equipment

First, let me go over my cupcake equipment list. As I mentioned, this recipe does involve several stages so there are quite a few tools and equipment that you will need to get the job done right. Here are all the tools and equipment I use to make my lemon-filled cupcakes:

• Measuring Cup
• Measuring spoons
• Glass mixing bowl
• Blending whisk
• KitchenAid mixer
• 2 Piping bags 21 inch 
• 1 Piping bag tie
• 1 Jumbo piping tips 9FT
• 2 Cupcake pans
• 16 White foil cupcake liners
  • These foil liners hold up way better than paper ones do!
• 1 Dough scoop 3 tbsp
• Zester
• Spatulas
• Apple Corer
• Lemon squeezer

How much lemon juice is in one lemon:

One medium-size lemon contained 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
1 lemon = 1 tbsp lemon zest
1 lemon = 2-3 lemon juice

Lemon extract alternative:
1 tsp of lemon extract = 2 tsp lemon zest

Luscious Lemony Ingredients

Now, let’s go over the light and lemony ingredients. You can mostly expect just typical baking ingredients with a few extra lemon ingredients mixed in. Here is my complete ingredient list for my filled lemon cupcakes:

Lemon Cupcakes:

• 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 eggs– room temperature
• ½ cup Yogurt
• ¼ cup Milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup Lemon juice– from 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp lemon zest– from two lemons
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter– melted and cooled

Lemon Filling:

• 2 cups Lemon filling

Lemon Buttercream:

• 1 ½ cup unsalted butter– room temperature
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup Lemon juice– from 2 lemons
• 6 cups powdered sugar

Lemon Twist Topper:

• 1 lemon– room temperature

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Filling

Now it’s time to whip up some scrumptious cupcakes! Even though there are several stages in this recipe, the process is really simple and easy to follow along with. I do recommend reading through the process before getting started though, just so you know what to expect. Here’s how to make my delectable lemon-filled lemon cupcakes:

Making Lemon Cupcakes:

1. First, use the measuring cup and spoons to measure out the cupcake ingredients and preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Next, in a large glass mixing bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
3. Use a blending whisk to combine the dry ingredients together.
4. Then, in another mixing bowl, drop in the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
5. Combine the ingredients together with a whisk until they’re completely incorporated.
6. Then, in another separate mixing bowl, add the sugar and the cooled melted butter.
7. Mix the 2 ingredients together well.
8. Then, carefully add the egg mixture into the butter mixture.
9. Mix the ingredients together well.
10. Next, gently pour the flour mixture into the lemon batter.
11. Blend all the ingredients together again until everything is completely mixed together, and the batter is smooth.
12. Next, you’ll need the cupcake pan and the foil liners.
13. Line the cups of the cupcake pan with the liners.
14. Then, grab a dough scoop and the lemon cupcake batter. Scoop the batter evenly amongst the lined pan cups.
15. Bake the lemon cupcakes for 13-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
16. Finally, set the cupcakes on a cooling rack and let them cool completely before filling or frosting.

Filling the Cupcakes:

1. First, transfer the lemon filling into a piping bag, and cut off ½ inch off the tip of the bag.
2. Then, grab the cooled cupcakes and the apple corer.
3. Use the apple corer to cut out a pocket in the center of each cupcake. Do not discard the cake cut-outs!
4. Next, pipe the lemon filling into each cupcake.
5. Then, replace the cake cut-outs to cover each filling pocket.

Making Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

1. First, gather up and measure out the lemon buttercream frosting ingredients.
2. Then, prepare a stand mixer with a beater attachment. 
3. Add the room temp butter to the large mixer bowl.
4. Beat the butter by itself for about 5 minutes- until it is double in size, light, and creamy.
5. Next, add the salt and lemon juice to the butter and beat the ingredients again.
6. Then, pour in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
7. Keep mixing until the powdered sugar is completely mixed in, then run the mixer on high speed for 8 minutes.
8. Then, scoop the lemon buttercream frosting into a piping bag prepared with a piping tip.
9. Finally, close off the frosting bag with a bag tie.

Lemon Twists:

1. First, wash the lemon and dry it off with a paper towel. Then, grab your cutting board and a sharp fruit knife.
2. Then, very carefully cut away the rind of the lemon.
3. Make sure there’s not any leftover lemon flesh on the rind.
4. Then, roll the lemon skin up in a tight swirl.
5. Hold the lemon roll and carefully slice it into several “twists”.

Assembling the Cupcakes:

1. Pipe the lemon frosting into smooth swirls on top of each lemon cupcake. Garnish each one with a lemon twist, serve, and enjoy!
   1. Make sure to pipe the buttercream frosting in a warm room, otherwise your buttercream will stiffen and you won’t be able to pipe smooth swirls.
   2. Don’t pipe the buttercream too close to the edges of the cupcakes. Otherwise, it will slide off.

Storing Lemon-Filled Cupcakes

To store lemon cupcakes with lemon filling: transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring the cupcakes back to room temperature before serving again. Always label the date on the outside of the container to keep up with freshness.

More Cupcakes Recipes

Lovely Lemon Recipes

Did this lovely lemon treat light up your taste buds? Then you’re definitely going to want to stick around and check out more of my scrumptious lemon recipes, more of my fancy filled cupcakes, and more of my easy cupcake recipes!

Delightful Lemon Recipes:

• July 4th Lemon Cupcakes
• Lemon Glaze for Cookies and Cakes
• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Maggiano’s Copycat Lemon Wedge Cookies
• Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake with Sugared Cranberries
• Lemon Cookies
• Easter Lemon Cookies

More Filled Fancy Cakes and Cupcakes:

• Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
• Unicorn Rainbow Cupcakes
• S’mores Cupcakes
• 4th of July Cake in 1 Hour
• Funfetti Bundt Cake
• Mermaid 3 Layer Cake in 1 Hour
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Chocolate Hearts

Cupcakes for Days:

• American Flag Mini Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
• Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
• Gingerbread Cupcakes
• Peppermint Cupcakes
• Mardi Gras Cupcakes
• Easter Bunny Cupcakes