Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes
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Bright as the sunshine small batch lemon cupcakes! This is an easy recipe for cupcakes that are pillowy soft, incredibly moist, bursting with lemon flavor, and speckled with lemon zest. Finish the cupcakes with my zingy small batch lemon frosting recipe for a sweet dessert, ideal for any holiday or celebration!
We love lemon in our house, and one of my favorite desserts I made when I started my small batch baking career was the recipe for mini lemon cakes made in a brownie pan. Zesty and sweet, while the individual size is perfect for our household of two. And it didn’t take long for my husband to request more lemon. So I made a batch of my one-dozen lemon shortbread cookies for him. Full of fresh lemon, but in cookie form!
So these cupcakes needed to live up to our citrusy expectations. I spent weeks testing to make sure lemon was front and center – and it had to be fresh lemon in the form of juice and zest (no extracts here!). All while perfecting the cake crumb itself. My requirement was the texture needed to be soft, tight, and so light that they nearly melt in your mouth.
Mission accomplished. My testing revealed that an egg-white only batter makes the cupcakes bouncy. Along with an alternative mixing method (more on how to mix below) to achieve the how-can-these-be-homemade-they’re-so-soft texture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Gather Your Ingredients
The ingredient list for the lemon cupcakes is pretty straightforward: flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt, milk, egg white, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
2. perfume the sugar with the lemon zest
The first thing we want to do is flavor the sugar with the lemon zest. To do this, we start with both in a mixing bowl, and then massage the zest into the sugar with our fingertips. This will release all the oils and flavor from the lemon zest and produce a robust lemon flavor!
Then whisk in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Does the lemon + sugar have you craving more? Try my recipe for almond flour small batch lemon drop cookies. With visible specks of lemon zest in the lip-puckering sweet cookie glaze!
3. Add The Butter For Reverse Creaming
We then add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. This method of mixing is called reverse creaming. With this method, the butter coats the flour, limiting the formation of gluten, which results in a softer, tighter crumb.
Mix the dry ingredients and butter with a hand or stand mixer until you have what resembles coarse sand. Little lumps of butter are ok.
4. Prepare Your Wet Ingredients
Now we prepare the milk, egg white, lemon juice, sour cream (to keep the cupcakes moist!), and vanilla.
I did test the cupcakes with an egg yolk instead, and they are equally delicious. The main difference is the crumb texture. The egg yolk will yield a spongier, looser crumb.
I like to mix all the liquid ingredients in a liquid measuring cup for one less bowl to clean – and it makes pouring it into the dry ingredients much easier. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
5. Mix To a Creamy Batter
With the mixer on medium speed, drizzle the wet ingredients over the dry. Let the batter mix for a few seconds to get everything incorporated, and you have a batter free of dry streaks.
6. Bake
Portion the batter into your prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. They will be springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean.
6. Finish With Frosting
Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, it’s time to decorate them with frosting! Of course, lemon frosting is delicious. But you can change the flavor profile and use the small batch strawberry frosting recipe for a strawberry lemonade taste. Or, keep it simple and use my butter-free small batch vanilla frosting recipe for a classic combo.
FAQ
You can. However, I recommend a fresh lemon for the pure flavor and for the zest.
Yes. I recommend Greek yogurt because it has a higher fat content to keep the cupcakes soft and moist.
Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (60 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons milk, room temperature (any kind)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a cupcake pan with 4 cupcake liners.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingers, massage the lemon zest into the sugar to release all the oils and permeate the sugar with flavor.5 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the sugar. Give a quick mix to combine. Note – If using a stand mixer, I recommend the 3-quart mixing bowl (link above) for the small batch batter. Otherwise, you can use a hand held mixer and medium mixing bowl.½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-high speed until the butter is broken up and the mix resembles coarse sand.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- In a liquid measuring cup, add the milk, lemon juice, sour cream, egg white, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.2 tablespoons milk, room temperature, 1 tablespoon full fat sour cream, room temperature, 1 large egg white, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry until incorporated and no dry streaks remain. It is ok if the batter is a little lumpy.
- Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Tip – Use a small cookie scoop to help with portioning and less mess!
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes with any frosting of choice (my lemon buttercream recipe is delicious!) Unfrosted cupcakes can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frosted cupcakes, 2 days. Beyond that, I recommend refrigerating them if they are frosted.
Notes
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe and only tested as such. If you choose to double the recipe, use 1 whole egg vs. 2 egg whites.
- Stand Mixer – For the cupcakes and frosting, you can use your stand mixer with standard bowl and attachments. However, because this is a small batch recipe, both cupcake batter and frosting will mix more evenly when you use a 3-quart mixing bowl.
- 1/3 Teaspoon – Amazon sells odd-size measuring spoons – which are a must for any small batch baker!
- Egg – I have also tested this recipe with a single egg yolk. I find the egg white (this recipe) yields a softer and tighter cupcake crumb. While the egg yolk version yields a more airy and spongy cupcake crumb. Both delicious. It’s a matter of cake crumb preference.
- Reverse Creaming Method – You will notice we mix the butter and sugar with the other dry ingredients first. This method of mixing limits gluten development and yields fluffy and airy cupcakes.
- Storing – Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days and frosted cupcakes for 2 days. I recommend refrigerating frosted cupcakes after day 2 because of the frosting.
- Freezing – The baked, unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve.
Nutrition Estimates
About the Author …
Hi, I’m Erin! With years of experience baking for two in my own small household, I know about the love for desserts without the leftovers. I’ve tested, written, and photographed every one of the 300+ recipes on my website. And even had some of my desserts featured on Taste of Home, The Spruce Eats, ELLE, Parade, and more! From traditional to gluten free desserts for two, I have the recipe for you.
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