Double Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to bake with, and these double lemon cupcakes are a simple combination of lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream. They’re very bright in flavor, thanks to lemon zest in the cupcakes (but not the frosting – zest can give frosting a weird texture).

My go-to cupcake base recipe is one I found at Sally’s Baking. It’s easy to adapt for many different flavor combinations – I’ve baked it in multiple forms and like it best for its use of melted butter, so you can mix everything you need in just a few bowls with a whisk. Sometimes, simple recipes are the best ones.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled; this is also 209 grams, for those baking by weight)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• Zest of 2 medium lemons

For the frosting

• 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, to taste
• 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and 1 tablespoon milk and beat to combine completely; add remaining milk if necessary to make a smooth, pipeable buttercream.  Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.