Fluffy lemon cupcakes filled with lemon raspberry curd and topped with raspberry buttercream. These cupcakes are bursting with delicious summery flavors and, as a bonus, are so fun and colorful!

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Holy moly, I am SO ready for summer. Today was my last day of finals. I’m just crazy enough that I actually woke up at 6am to go running before my final. But, I mean, I’m proctoring and grading, not actually taking a final.

Still, between working at our church’s Greek festival all weekend and grading a bazillion essays and other writings in the last two weeks, I just want to be dooonnnnneee. But instead, I’m writing this, ignoring the final exam essays I still need to grade.

Whatevs, I have a week to finish them.

Anyway, cupcakes. I spent years figuring out how to make the perfect lemon cake/cupcake. I like a very strong lemon flavor, but I’d rather use real lemons and not extract. The taste just isn’t the same with extract. So, I experimented away, eating many an okay lemon cake. The problem is, using lemon juice can dry out a cake after just a day or two. It can also make the cake crumble. As well, using too much zest gets gritty.

Finally, I found the perfect solution. Steep the milk overnight with lovely large peels of lemon zest, adding lemon juice to it right before adding to the cake. This creates buttermilk, which is a cake’s best friend. Plus, I also pulse the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. It makes the zest perfectly fine and also helps release its oils, heightening the lemon flavor without compromising the texture.

I’ve made these cupcakes quite a bit, with strawberry basil compote and buttercream as well as with blackberry lavender jam/buttercream. I’ve also made them into a whimsical jammy blueberry lemon cake. The cake is just so fluffy and so lemony that I love making it any chance I get!

So when I had an excess of lemons and raspberries, I knew I needed to make a raspberry curd and raspberry buttercream to pair with my favorite lemon cupcakes.

The result was every bit as delicious as I’d hoped.

Why this recipe works

To get a bold lemon flavor from actual lemons, I used a vegetable peeler to peel large bits of lemon zest (no white pith) and steeped that with my milk overnight (probably about 12 or so hours). This infuses a lot of lemon flavor into the milk. I also combined room temperature lemon juice with my room temperature lemon-infused milk, creating a super lemony buttermilk. This is done just before adding the milk to the batter so that it doesn’t get chunky. Finally, pulsing the sugar with grated lemon zest serves the dual purpose of releasing the oils from the zest and also getting it to a very fine texture that won’t be noticed in the cake. This way, you can use enough to actually taste the lemon!

I also love that this cake uses butter to create a fluffy texture with just a bit of oil to maintain moisture. It stays both fluffy and soft for days!

The raspberry curd is actually very simple to make and will last in the fridge for a couple weeks. It’s sturdy enough to not be absorbed into the cupcakes. Plus, it packs a lovely tart punch with it.

Finally, that buttercream. It’s a very simple recipe, adding finely ground freeze dried raspberries to American buttercream. This makes a very sturdy frosting with a bright raspberry flavor and color. It can be piped nice and tall and will hold up in warmer weather (although no cupcake does well in direct sunlight).

Together, the flavors and textures create a dreamy, lemony, raspberry-y cupcake that’s to die for!

Key ingredients

Whole milk. You can use lowfat milk, but don’t use skim. You could also use coconut milk or cream, as long as it’s not separated. I’m unsure if other milk alternatives would work, so let me know if you do try them!

Fresh lemons. You’ll need several. You’ll be using peeled and grated zest as well as lemon juice. You’ll need more zest than juice, meaning you’ll have some zested lemons that you won’t juice. But I love saving this to use in cooking or to add to iced tea!

Cake flour. I usually make my own. For this recipe you’ll need 1/4 cup plus 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch combined with 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon all purpose flour. Sift the two together 3 times before using.

Baking powder. Be sure it hasn’t been open longer than a few months, as it will lose its rising power at that point.

Sea salt. Table salt will work, too, but sea salt is better for baking.

Butter. Use unsalted, European style butter for a much fluffier cake.

Sugar. Use plain granulated sugar.

Eggs. Use fresh, large, room temperature eggs.

Oil. I like avocado or grape seed, as they’re healthier and tasteless (just avoid extra virgin, as they can sometimes be fairly green in color), but vegetable or canola oil work, too.

Vanilla extract. Use pure extract, not imitation.

Lemon raspberry curd. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Sturdy raspberry buttercream. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge up to 2 weeks. Just be surte to let it come to room temperature and give it a good stir before using.

How to make lemon raspberry cupcakes

1. Ideally, make the lemon raspberry curd ahead so it can set in the fridge. I suggest doing this the day before, when you also need to steep the milk for the cupcakes.

Make the cupcakes

2. Steep the milk and peeled lemon zest overnight. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest, but avoid the white pith. Combine with the milk, seal well, and refrigerate 8-12 hours.

3. Process sugar and grated lemon zest. Again, avoid getting the white pith when you zest the orange. Use a food processor or blender to blend it until fully mixed and zest is finely ground.

4. Sift and whisk dry ingredients. Be sure to sift well.

5. Beat butter and lemon sugar until light and fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes.

6. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and oil. Beat 30-60 seconds after each addition to keep it light and fluffy.

7. Combine strained milk and lemon juice. You can do this while waiting for the butter and sugar to beat. Be sure to press down a bit on the zest to get all of the oils out.

8. Alternately add flour, lemon milk, then flour. Blend on low and only mix until combined. Don’t worry if it’s not smooth.

10. Bake 15-18 minutes. Test around 12 minutes and check one of the middle cupcakes to make sure it’s cooked.

Make the buttercream

11. Cream butter and powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating until super smooth after each addition.

12. Add vanilla and salt. Beat for 1-2 minutes after to get it light and fluffy.

13. Add finely ground freeze dried raspberries. Don’t beat for too long after adding raspberries, or it’ll turn gummy. At this point, add some heavy cream or more powdered sugar, as needed.

14. Place in piping bag with 1M tip.

Assemble cupcakes

15. Remove a cherry sized piece of the center of the cupcakes. You can use a knife, grapefruit spoon, or cupake corer.

16. Add lemon raspberry curd.

17. Pipe buttercream, starting at the edge and working your way in.

Enjoy!

Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe

Do I have to steep the milk so far in advance?

Sort of. If you don’t steep it at least 8 hours in advance, it’s kind of not worth it. A few hours will only add a hint of lemon, which won’t be very noticeable in the cupcakes. However, steeping 8-12 hours will create a noticeably lemony flavor (I’ve gone as long as 24, but this can sometimes create a bitter taste if any white pith was on the zest). So, if you’re able to, steep the milk the day before you want to make the cupcakes so you get a fresh, true lemon flavor!

Can I make the cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes! You can make all of the ingredients ahead of time and can fill and frost the cupcakes as much as a day in advance. The curd will last in the fridge 1-2 weeks or the freezer 2 months. The buttercream will last in the fridge about a month or the freezer up to 3 months, if well-sealed. For either of those options, let it come to room temperature on the counter (at least 2-3 hours) then stir well before using. The cupcakes shouldn’t be baked more than a day in advance. So, you can split up your work by making the curd and buttercream a few days ahead then making the cupcakes and filling them (once cooled) the day before you’ll need them.

Can I turn this into a cake?

Yes! This works well as a cake. Simply use two 8” or 9” cake pans (or three 6” pans). I recommend spreading a very thin layer of buttercream on each layer of cake before piping a ring of buttercream around the edge (a must) before filling with curd. Avoid spreading the curd too thick or the cake could split. About 1/4 inch is ideal. If you’re a big filling/frosting fan, you can always cut each layer of cake in half to get more thin layers of frosting and/or curd in there.

Split up your work

The recipe also has a note about this, but it bears repeating. You don’t have to do all of this in one day! In fact I highly suggest making the curd the day before, when you steep the milk for the cupcakes. You could also make the buttercream the day before and refrigerate it overnight. Just be sure to give it a couple hours on the counter to defrost and give it a good stir to smooth it out before using.

My cupcake tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cupcakes. Affiliate links provided.

Stand mixer or handheld mixer

1M piping tips

Fine mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY in this cake!)

Reusable silicone piping bags (These are super easy to clean—just turn inside out, wear like a mitten, and wash! I stand mine like a cone hat on my tea kettle to dry.)

Cupcake corer (I love that this comes in two sizes!)

Cupcake pans (I’ve used many over the years and these are the most consistently successful.)

Vegetable peeler (to peel the zest for steeping the milk)

You might also like:

Blackberry Lavender Lemonade Cupcakes

Strawberry Basil Lemonade Cupcakes

Jammy Blueberry Lemon Cake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Lemon & Mascarpone Cake