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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

    Published: Jun 2, 2023 · Modified: Apr 9, 2025 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    pinterest image.

    These Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes have a soft cloud-like crumb with an ultra-plush texture. It is paired with a creamy, dreamy lemon buttercream and is like biting into a cloud!

    Jump to Recipe

    If you’re a lemon dessert lover like I am, try my one-layer lemon cake or the lemon mug cake recipe next!

    soft lemon cupcake topped with lemon frosting.

    I wanted lemon drizzle cupcakes that pack a potent flavor, and produce a light and tender crumb, without being soggy from the drizzle.

    I achieved this by strategically incorporating the zest and juice in various stages into the recipe, without any compromise in flavor or texture, like in my lemon mug cake.

    These lemon cupcakes would be perfect as a spring dessert, bridal shower, or birthday party. They are packed with fresh lemon flavor in every bite!

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works?
    • Table of contents
    • Ingredients
    • How to make lemon drizzle cupcakes?
    • How to make lemon buttercream?
    • How long will it last?
    • Make ahead instructions
    • Recipe tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More lemon recipes
    • Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

    Why this recipe works?

    👉 I use only the zest in the cupcake batter to capture the full lemon flavor from its oils, as the juice tends to lose its potency during baking.

    👉 The warm lemon cupcakes are then drizzled with a mixture of lemon juice and sugar, adding a burst of brightness and tartness while keeping them moist.

    👉 The lemon buttercream, made with both lemon juice and zest, delivers the light, airy texture and flavor of vanilla buttercream, without being too heavy.

    Table of contents

    • Why this recipe works?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make lemon drizzle cupcakes?
    • How to make lemon buttercream?
    • How long will it last?
    • Make ahead instructions
    • Recipe tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More lemon recipes

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    ingredients needed to make drizzle cake with lemon.
    • All-purpose flour - I used all-purpose flour which gives enough structure with the drizzle and does not fall apart in your hands.
    • Baking Powder - Helps lift things up.
    • Butter: Makes it rich and tender. Make sure to have your butter at room temperature overnight, to help develop an airy texture in the lemon drizzle cupcakes.
    • Sugar: White granulated sugar offers tenderness and more structure in the cupcake, whereas confectioners sugar makes the buttercream silky smooth.
    • Egg: It helps to have the egg at room temperature, so the batter gets fluffy when combined like the pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
    • Milk: Whole-fat milk adds richness and taste.
    • Lemons: Use fresh lemons and not any bottled juice.

    How to make lemon drizzle cupcakes?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    two hands whisking flour in a glass bowl with a whisk.
    1. Add flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
    2 photo collage of creaming butter and sugar, in a white bowl with a red beater.
    2 photo collage of mixing cake batter, in a white bowl with a red beater.

    2 & 3. Add butter and sugar into another medium bowl and beat with a handheld electric beater on high, for about 2 minutes or light and fluffy.

    4. Add egg and lemon zest, and beat for about 30 seconds, until thoroughly combined.

    5. Add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed, until just combined. Don't overmix.

    2 photo collage of beating cake batter in a white bowl with a red beater.
    2 photo collage of filling cupcake batter in 6 cup muffin pan.

    6 & 7. Beat in the milk, and then the remaining flour mixture, on low speed, until you no longer see any dry flour. Don't overmix.

    8 & 9. Divide batter evenly into a paper lined 6-cup muffin pan, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean.

    a hand mixing sugar and lemon juice in a blue bowl with a black spoon.

    10. Make the lemon drizzle as soon as you pop the cake pan into the oven. Stir sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, until sugar is almost dissolved. Set aside until the cupcakes are done baking.

    Tip: This ensures that the sugar has enough time to dissolve completely.

    a hand drizzling lemon juice on cupcakes using a black spoon.

    11. Remove the pan from the oven, and place it on a wire rack. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, slowly drizzle or brush, the lemon syrup evenly on top of the hot cupcakes. Use it all! Let the lemon drizzle cupcakes cool completely.

    How to make lemon buttercream?

    2 photo collage of beating white buttercream in a white bowl with a red beater.
    2 photo collage of filling a piping bag and piping lemon buttercream on a cupcake.

    11 & 12. Add butter and 1 cup confectioners sugar into a medium bowl and beat with a handheld electric beater, on high, until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar, lemon zest, juice, and salt and continue beating, until light and fluffy, another 1 to 2 minutes.

    👩‍🍳 Add more confectioners' sugar to achieve a thicker, stiffer buttercream that's perfect for piping.

    13 & 14. Transfer lemon buttercream into a large piping bag with a decorating tip (I used Wilton4B) and frost swirls on top of cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a lemon slice, if desired.

    👉 Keep it simple and spread the lemon buttercream with a flat spatula!

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    How long will it last?

    Store frosted lemon drizzle cupcakes, at room temperature for up to 2 days. If wishing to store them longer, then keep them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

    Tip: If you are serving these on a warm summer day, just keep them in the fridge until you set up for your party or picnic, like the strawberry and cream. Take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

    Make ahead instructions

    Lemon buttercream can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature and beat until light and fluffy again.

    If you wish to freeze, store the unfrosted cooled lemon cupcakes (after the drizzle), in an airtight container, in the freezer, for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature.

    Recipe tips

    1. Measure flour correctly - Adding too much flour is one of the most common baking mistakes.
    2. Use only fresh lemon juice - Never use bottled juice. Freshly squeezed gives so much better flavor than the bottled kind.
    3. Buttercream consistency - If the lemon buttercream is too soft to pipe, simply beat in more powdered sugar. This will thicken the frosting and help create beautiful, sturdy swirls.
    4. Use all of the lemon drizzle – don’t let any go to waste! It adds moisture and a zesty lemon punch. Simply spoon or brush the drizzle generously onto the cupcakes for maximum flavor.
    5. Serve them at room temperature for the best cloud like soft and fluffy texture.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use bottled lemon juice?

    Nothing compares to the bright, fresh taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Plus, to get the perfect lemon zest, you’ll need whole lemons anyway.

    What kind of frosting to use?

    I prefer lemon buttercream frosting to bring home the lemony goodness. However, vanilla or strawberry buttercream or whipped cream frosting also will pair well.

    Does the drizzle make the cupcakes soggy?

    No! The smaller holes in the cupcake effectively capture the drizzle, preventing any sogginess. Furthermore, the syrup-to-cupcake ratio is perfectly balanced, resulting in an ideal combination of flavors.

    soft lemon cupcake with a bite taken off.

    More lemon recipes

    • 5 almond flour lemon cookies in a white fluted plate.
      Almond Flour Lemon Cookies
    • 4 blueberry muffins on a blue cake stand.
      Lemon Blueberry Muffins
    • glasses filled with mango lemonade and garnished with mint.
      Mango Lemonade
    • white ricotta cookies topped with sprinkles placed on a wire rack.
      Lemon Ricotta Cookies
    half bitten soft lemon drizzle cupcake topped with lemon frosting.

    Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

    These Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes have a soft cloud-like crumb with an ultra-plush texture. It is paired with a creamy, dreamy lemon buttercream and is like biting into a cloud!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 Cupcakes
    Calories: 351kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    Items used

    • Electric mixer
    • Ice-cream scoop
    • Piping tip
    • Piping bags

    Lemon Drizzle

    • 3 tablespoons sugar white granulated
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

    Cupcakes

    • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
    • ¾ cup sugar white granulated
    • 2 large eggs at room temperature
    • zest of 2 lemons
    • ½ cup milk

    Lemon buttercream

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
    • 4 cups confectioners sugar
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Make Lemon Drizzle

    • Stir sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, until sugar is almost dissolved. Set aside until you make the cupcakes.

    Make Cupcakes

    • Line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners and set aside. Pre heat oven to 350° F or 177° C.
    • Add flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
    • Add butter and sugar into another medium bowl and beat with a hand held electric beater on high, for about 2 minutes or light and fluffy. Add eggs and lemon zest, beat for about 30 seconds, until thoroughly combined.
    • Add ⅓rd the flour mixture, beat on low speed, until just combined. Beat in the half the milk, and then half the remaining flour mixture, then beat in the remaining milk followed by the remaining flour. Don't overmix.
    • Divide batter evenly into the prepared 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes clean.
    • Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack.
      Immediately, using a pastry brush, gently brush the lemon drizzle evenly on top of the hot cupcakes and let cool completely. Make sure to use all the drizzle.

    Make Lemon buttercream

    • Add butter and 2 cups confectioners sugar into a large bowl and beat with a hand held electric beater, on high, until light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes).
    • Add remaining confectioners sugar, lemon jest, juice and salt and continue beating, until light and fluffy (1 to 2 minutes).
      Tip: If you like a stiffer icing for piping, then use more confectioners sugar.
    • Transfer buttercream into a large piping bag with a decorating tip (I used Wilton4B) and frost swirls on top of cooled cupcakes. Garnish with lemon slice, if desired.

    Notes

    Use only fresh juice. Never use bottled juice. Freshly squeezed gives so much better flavor than the bottled kind.
    Frosting consistency: If the buttercream is very soft to be piped then beat in more powdered sugar. It will thicken up and also makes more prettier swirls.
    These are best served at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment or review below or snap a photo and share on Instagram.

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

    Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com

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    Hi, I'm Maria! I'm excited to share with you creative twists on classic Indian, American, and global dishes—perfect for easy family meals or unique dishes to impress guests!

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