Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes!
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Easy, sweet and sour lemon drizzle cupcakes!
Lemon drizzle cupcakes
Sometimes, going quite simple and classic is the way to success. In this case, it’s all things lemon because it is DELICIOUS. To be fair as well, lemon drizzle cupcakes has been one of the most highly requested bakes on my blog in a long time, and I was in a lemony mood.
I realise that a recipe like this is really so simple, but my god it’s a good bake. I haven’t made anything lemon flavoured in a while, so I felt like it was time to rectify that atrocity and go slightly lemon overboard. Like, these are so lemony, that would probably won’t forget the flavour for a while!
Morph of recipes
Anyway, for these I decided to take influence from a couple of recipes on my website – my lemon & lime drizzle cake, and my lemon & poppyseed cupcakes. It basically morphs the two recipes together into a wonderful, light and refreshing bake. You can add poppyseeds into this bake if you want as well, but I just wanted something lemon through and through.
The thing that I love about anything ‘drizzle’ themed, is that they always taste fresh and delicious. I hate to use the word, but they are the most ‘moist’ of bakes as well, so it’s rare that they ever dry out. I always think the sugar in a drizzle is important, and it also forms a lovely sugary crust on the cake which is delicious to bite into.
They taste even better then they look!
I always want to be able to post a recipe such as this, and have you guys be able to taste and smell them fresh out of the oven because it is honestly incredible, so I just try my best with the photos instead. If you look at my older posts, such as my lemon & lime drizzle cake, and my lemon & poppyseed cupcakes, you will see how ropey my photography skills used to be. Slightly embarrassing to be honest.
Either way, I have had so much more practice with my decorating skills, my piping skills and everything in general so hopefully the images sell these cupcakes well enough! I like to think they do, but baking them yourselves is definitely the best option. They taste so light and just delightful. Perfect for Spring, or Summer or any time!
Optional chocolate
I wasn’t sure how well this recipe would float considering it has no chocolate in, but every now and again it is appreciated. Not every person in the world likes chocolate (personally, I love it), but now and again you find someone who likes it fruity and sweet. You can add chocolate chips into the cupcakes themselves if you wish to make them even sweeter though!
Adaptable recipe
Either way, these beauties are the best for someone who loves lemon, who loves cupcakes, and wants a bake that is a general crowd pleaser for everyone. The buttercream can be easily coloured to suit a theme, or you can use lemon extract in place of the lemon juice/zest if you wanted to make it easier! Enjoy! x
Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 175 g unsalted butter
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g self raising flour
- 3 medium eggs
- Zest of 1 lemons
Drizzle
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 75 g caster sugar
Buttercream
- 150 g unsalted butter (not stork - room temperature)
- 300 g icing sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan, and get 12 cupcake/muffin/baking cups ready! I use 12 Iced Jems baking cups on a flat tray!
- Beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, eggs and lemon zest and beat until smooth!
- Split evenly between the 12 cupcake cases, and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes, or until baked through.
- Once out of the oven, whisk together the lemon juice and caster sugar for the drizzle, and spoon evenly over the 12 cupcakes.
- Leave the cupcakes to cool fully.
- Once the cupcakes are cool - beat your room temperature butter for a couple of minutes so its smooth and supple - don't use a spread like stork.
- Add in the icing sugar 1/2 at a time, and beat fully each time.
- Once the icing sugar is in, beat for 3-5 minutes so its nice and fluffy, and add in the lemon and beat again.
- Pipe your buttercream onto your cupcakes with your favourite piping tip - I used a medium 2D closed star!
- Sprinkle with your favourite sprinkles!
Notes
- These beauties are inspired by my lemon & lime drizzle cake and my lemon & poppyseed cupcakes!
- These will last for 3-4 days at room temperature in a container!
- I used the beautiful baking cups from Iced Jems!
- And I used the gorgeous medium 2D closed star piping tip from Iced Jems!
- I also used these cute lemon meringue sprinkles from Iced Jems!
- The lemon drizzle is optional, it's just delicious!
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Absolutely delicious. so light and moist. I had so many compliments when I made them for the first time. Makes a perfect batch of 12 cupcakes.
Hi Jane ,
Love your recipes ! Can’t wait to make this for my Mum’s Birthday as a surprise .🎊. Do you know of any dairy-free alternative that I can use instead of unsalted butter for the buttercream icing . 😊
Thanks !
Hey! So I would use something such as stork block for the cake and buttercream – but because it’s softer it won’t take much lemon juice before it goes very sloppy so it’s probably best to use flavouring!
I love your recipes, easy to follow and love a video to watch too. One question though, I used my food processor to make the butter icing today and the recipe says beat for 3-5 minutes…. I did it for about one minute and it’s now sloppy 😬. Have I over mixed? I’ve put it in the fridge to harden up again.
Foor processors aren’t the best for buttercream in my opinion as it doesn’t beat, it basically breaks down! You need to also make sure to use real butter and not a spread. x
Hi Jane – I don’t have enough lemons but have bottled lemon juice. Can I use this and if so, how much do I use? I thought it would have some guidance on the bottle of the equivalent but it doesn’t! many thanks 🙂
I usually use a straight swap between fresh lemon juice and bottled lemon juice! x
Hi, these look amazing but would love to make this into a cake for my dads birthday. I have 2 8in cake cakes so how much of the ingredients would I need?
Hey! I would double the ingredients and split between the two tins! x
First time I have made these lemon drizzle cupcakes, they were definitely loved by my family. Simply put they are delicious cupcakes and a recipe I will be using again. I did add a little more lemon juice into the buttercream.
Hi Jane!
I’ve been new to baking since lockdown, total newbie! This is the second recipe of yours I’ve made this week and I’m sooooo happy with the outcome! I actually kind of merged two of your recipes. My partner doesn’t like buttercream, so I used this recipe for the cakes, then used your lemon drizzle loaf recipe for the drizzle and icing topping!
I was a bit nervous as I’ve never zested a lemon before, didn’t even realise the peel was edible (total newbie as I said) Yet they came out amazing! Total hit with the family! I even sprinkled some zest on top like suggested in your lemon drizzle loaf recipe.
Thanks again, can’t wait to try more of your recipes 💛
Ahh yay, that’s amazing!!
Hi Jane been following u since lockdown and baking all sorts all coming out amazing everyone is loving the endless supply of cupcakes I am sending. Just curious for the lemon ones my husband wanted them abit more lemony could I add in juice Aswell or shall I add more zest? Thanks 😊
Hey! Ahh thank you!! For the cupcake mix I would add in more zest or extract – rather than juice!
Hi Jane,
Love this recipe. This might be a stupid question but can you double up the ingredients to make twice as many? Thinking about making them for a party dish when we can have parties again ha
Yes you can!! x
Hi Jane do you think I can make these gluten free by substituting the flour?
They would! But I would also recommend adding in xantham gum!
I’ve only been following Jane for about a week or so and this was my first attempt with this recipe. I’m also a beginner in the baking world!
The cupcakes came out perfect! The mixture was the right amount for 12 cupcakes, they cooked and tasted beautiful. I didn’t have any lemons so used 1.5 teaspoons of lemon extract in the sponge and buttercream as we love a strong lemon flavour. Can not wait to try the next recipe. Thank you for making me fall in love with baking. X
This recipe is really quick and easy to follow. The cupcakes are delicious. I love anything lemony and these really hit the spot.
Hi Jane, thanks for this recipe! What a complete delight these cupcakes are. Soooo lemony, but not over the top. They are just delightful.
Your instructions and advice are really appreciated. I have learnt something new each time I have used one of your recipes.
I love lemon anything, but these were on another level. Lots of compliments from my hubby, and grateful neighbours!!
Thank you!
Awh yay!! So glad they were a hit! ❤️
Another brilliant recipe! All I can say is, trust in the recipe and you’ll get great results.
Thank you for sharing. Shall be adding this to my favourites. X
This was my first Jane’s Patisserie bake and the cupcakes turned out beautifully with a light sponge and gorgeous lemony taste. I shared them with colleagues at a school and they loved them too. Thank you!
So glad you liked the recipe!
HI Jane, I love these as did my husband. He got diagnosed with diabetes in Jan so has missed them dreadfully.
I’ve found a flour from Lonjevity foods and have made these today using their ultrafine with xylitol. By adding a teaspoon of baking powder and a tablespoon of lemon juice they have come out lovely. As a avid hater of anything healthy I scoffed one and I couldn’t tell the difference. Just thought it may be useful for anyone who can’t have the sugar and carbs x