Best Celebration Cupcakes With Citrus Frosting Recipes

HOMEMADE LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, start the mixer on low speed, then slowly add the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Once combined, stop the mixer. Do not overmix this batter.
• Spoon batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for about 18-22 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when they're done. For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. I usually let them cool completely in the muffin pan.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. If topping with lemon zest, do so right before serving. There may be leftover frosting depending how much you use on each cupcake.
• Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days.

LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a pan with cupcake liners.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
• Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
• Combine the milk and lemon juice, then slowly add the mixture to the batter along with the lemon zest and mix until well combined.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
• Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
• When the cupcakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
• Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
• Add the vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest to the frosting and mix until well combined.
• Add the remaining powdered sugar and salt and mix until well combined and smooth. Add additional lemon juice as needed to get the right consistency and flavor.
• Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
• Cupcakes are best when stored well covered and eaten within 2-3 days. They can be left at room temperature for about 24 hours, then refrigerated. Serve at room temperature.

LEMON CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray.
• Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, water, champagne, oil and eggs. Stir 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel into batter. Pour into pan.
• Bake 17 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not remove cake from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place pan of cake in freezer. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• In small bowl, mix lemon curd and sour cream until well blended. Set aside.
• To assemble cupcakes, remove cake from freezer; using foil, lift cake from pan. Using 2 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut 24 rounds from cake. Place 12 rounds top side down. Spread each with about 1 teaspoon lemon curd filling. Top with remaining cake rounds, top side up.
• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, melted butter and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon about 1 tablespoon icing over each cake, allowing icing to run down sides of cake.
• To serve, place each cake in decorative cupcake liner, and garnish with lemon peel curls, if desired.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, and 2 teaspoons lemon extract together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; add baking powder and salt and beat until smooth. Slowly mix flour, alternating with cold milk, into butter mixture until batter is just mixed. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Beat 3 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, and milk together until smooth. Beat confectioners' sugar into butter mixture until desired consistency is reached; spread onto cupcakes.