Moist and tender, these lemon poppy seed cupcakes are full of bright lemon flavor and dotted with crunchy poppy seeds. The blackberry frosting tastes like fresh berries, and the contrasting colors make them beautiful on any dessert table.
I wanted a fresh spring cupcake that felt different from the usual, so I created these lemon cupcakes topped with blackberry buttercream. Lemon is perfect for spring—bright and sunny—and it pairs wonderfully with a soft, buttery crumb. The blackberry frosting, made from real berries, develops a deep purple color and an authentic fruity flavor that complements the lemon perfectly.
For the Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
These cupcakes are moist and flavorful with just the right amount of lemon. Using real butter adds richness and helps with a tender, fluffy texture, while sour cream keeps the crumb soft. For the best lemon flavor, use both lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Wash the lemons first, zest them, then squeeze the juice. Avoid bottled lemon juice; fresh juice gives a bright, balanced tartness rather than a bitter note.
For the Frosting
If you prefer a simpler finish, you can use cream cheese frosting, but the blackberry buttercream is worth the extra step. To make it, puree blackberries in a blender or food processor, press the puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds, then simmer the seedless puree until it reduces and thickens like jam (about 10–20 minutes). This concentrates the flavor; store-bought preserves can work in a pinch, but fresh berries give the best results.
Once the fruit puree has cooled, beat butter until smooth, gradually add powdered sugar, and then mix in the blackberry puree until the frosting is the color and flavor you want. Add a little cream if needed for consistency.
The soft, buttery cupcake, fresh lemon, and crunchy poppy seeds are a classic combination. The blackberry frosting not only looks stunning but balances the citrus with its sweet-tart berry flavor.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Fiona Dowling
45 mins
18 mins
45 mins
2 hrs
14 cupcakes
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest*
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice*, freshly squeezed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Blackberry Frosting*
- 1 1/2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cream, if needed
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two muffin pans with liners. This yields about 14 cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low, add half the sour cream, then half the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl, then repeat with the remaining sour cream and flour.
- Gently fold in the lemon juice and poppy seeds.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full (about 14 cupcakes).
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 16–20 minutes, until tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Blackberry Frosting*
- Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Press the puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds, working in batches and using the back of a spoon to push the fruit through.
- Cook the seedless puree over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces and thickens to a jam-like consistency (about 10–20 minutes). Cool completely; you should have 2–4 tablespoons of thickened puree.
- Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft.
- With the mixer on low, beat in 2 cups of powdered sugar and the salt.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of the cooled blackberry puree.
- Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, adding more blackberry puree or a tablespoon of cream as needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip or spread with a knife and frost the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- You will need 1–2 medium lemons. Zest before squeezing. Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor—bottled juice can be bitter.
- If you prefer a thinner layer of frosting, halve the frosting recipe.
- Make the blackberry puree first and let it cool while you bake the cupcakes; the timing often works out so the puree is ready when the cupcakes are cooled.
- If desired, substitute 3 tablespoons of store-bought blackberry preserves for the reduced puree.
- I don’t recommend doubling the recipe, as overmixing can make the cupcakes dense or cause them to sink.
- Storage: These are best the day you serve them. Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Nutrition information is calculated per cupcake with frosting.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 61 g,
Protein: 3 g,
Fat: 24 g,
Saturated Fat: 14 g,
Cholesterol: 90 mg,
Sodium: 147 mg,
Potassium: 109 mg,
Fiber: 1 g,
Sugar: 49 g,
Vitamin A: 769 IU,
Vitamin C: 6 mg,
Calcium: 56 mg,
Iron: 1 mg.