Six Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This simple recipe for Lemon Cupcakes, Small Batch makes six soft, fluffy cupcakes crowned with whipped lemon cream cheese frosting. Made with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and a touch of honey, they are incredibly delicious!

Why You Will Love These Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes

• Made with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice.
• They are a small batch of 6 cupcakes.
• Soft and fluffy!
• They make a lovely gift for the lemon dessert lovers in your life!
• A quick lemon-honey mixture gets brushed over the tops of the cupcakes right after they come out of the oven, while still warm. So good!
• Perfect for a light and refreshing dessert.
• It pairs perfectly with this whipped lemon cream cheese frosting!

I am excited to share these small batch lemon cupcakes with you today, because lemon desserts have always been a big favorite of mine, second only to chocolate! They are refreshing and packed with that winning mix of sweet and tart in every bite.

Another great thing about this lemon dessert is that it makes a small batch of six. You can give them away as a sweet gift, share them with your family, or keep them all to yourself!

If you enjoy this small batch lemon cupcakes recipe, you should also check out my Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes, Single Layer Carrot Cake, or my Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies!

Have more ideas for small batch dessert recipes? I would love to hear them! Send me a message on my Say Hello page, or DM me on Instagram or Facebook!

What You Will Need

Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make these wonderful small batch lemon cupcakes!

• All-Purpose Flour. This pantry staple is perfect for this recipe.
• Baking Powder. A leavening agent.
• Salt. It helps balance out the lemon flavor.
• Unsalted Butter. Having it at room temperature makes for smooth mixing!
• Granulated Sugar. Regular white granulated sugar works here. Organic cane sugar is a good substitute too.
• Egg. Just one, and like the unsalted butter, it is best at room temperature.
• Vanilla Flavoring. This one is optional, but it rounds out all the flavors without stealing the spotlight from the lemon.
• Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice. Grab 2 medium or 3 small lemons; that's plenty. The juice gets split: 1 1/2 tablespoons goes into the cupcake batter, and the remaining tablespoon is mixed with the honey.
• Buttermilk. You only need 1/4 cup. Whole milk or homemade buttermilk can stand in, and powdered buttermilk works too.
• Honey. This is whisked together with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Once mixed, it is brushed over the tops of the just-baked lemon cupcakes.

I did not test this recipe with any alternative flours, sugars (other than organic cane sugar), or egg substitutes.

Making Homemade Buttermilk

For the homemade version, you only need regular milk (1%, 2%, or fat-free) and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

Add the lemon juice to the measuring cup first, then add the milk. Pour it into a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes, then add it to the batter when the recipe calls for it. Homemade buttermilk substitute is best used right away.

You can also use powdered buttermilk, which you can find in the baking aisle, usually next to the powdered milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk.

Steps for Making These Lemon Cupcakes

Here is a brief overview of how to make this small batch lemon cupcakes recipe. Detailed instructions, including how to make the whipped lemon cream cheese frosting, are in the recipe below!

For the lemon cupcakes, you will need either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. A few mixing bowls, a medium grater, a whisk, and a spatula will come in handy too!

1. Prep your lemons. I like to zest and juice the lemons before I start this recipe. It is not a huge time saver, but it keeps things moving while you bake, and the batter spends less time sitting. I suggest a Microplane grater for the zest.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. This simple step makes sure the dry ingredients are well combined before they go into the wet batter. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. This is the step where you'll need a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until smooth, then add the egg and vanilla extract.
4. Blend it all together. Add the whisked dry ingredients, fresh lemon zest, 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and buttermilk to the wet ingredients. Do NOT overmix the batter. It should be light in color and easy to scoop into the liners.
5. Evenly fill the cupcake liners. Fill them about 2/3, or a little more than halfway, full.
6. Bake the cupcakes. For this recipe, bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. They will have a fairly flat top and smell wonderful!
7. Make the lemon honey mixture. With about 5-10 minutes of baking left, whisk the lemon juice and honey together in a small bowl until the color is even.
8. Brush the mixture over the warm cupcakes. When the cupcakes come out of the oven, brush the mixture over the tops with a pastry brush or silicone brush. It will soak right into the warm cupcakes.
9. Cool completely. Let them cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Whether you bake them the same day or a day or 2 later, let them cool completely before adding the frosting.

Essential Cupcake Tools

FAQs and Troubleshooting

Can I skip the lemon zest and use bottled lemon juice?

You can, but the cupcakes will not be as flavorful.

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

You can use a buttermilk substitute or whole milk.

Do you have a substitute for any of the ingredients?

Unless noted above in the Ingredients section, no.

Can I bake these lemon cupcakes in advance?

Yes. They can be made, without frosting, 2-3 days ahead and kept in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. If the tops feel slightly sticky after storing, let them sit out uncovered for about 30 minutes before adding the cream cheese frosting.

Can the lemon cream cheese frosting be made in advance?

Yes. It can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Bring it to room temperature 15-20 minutes before frosting the cupcakes. Give it a quick turn or two with a hand mixer to bring it back to life.

Can I double this lemon cupcake recipe?

Yes! Baking time and temperature stay the same.

What piping tip did you use to decorate the cupcakes?

I used the Wilton 1A decorating tip with a medium piping bag. The Wilton 1A tip is also known as the open tip or open circle tip.

Additional Baking Tips Before You Start

• The times listed in the recipe apply to both the lemon cupcakes and the lemon cream cheese frosting.
• Ovens are like snowflakes, no two are alike. Start checking the cupcakes at the earliest recommended baking time. An oven thermometer also helps make sure your oven is set to the right temperature.
• The cupcakes need an extra 30 minutes of cooling time.
• It is best to place your liners in the 2 middle sections of the cupcake tin.
• Do not overmix this lemon cupcake batter.
• Use a cookie scoop, a large measuring glass, or a large and small spoon to add the batter.
• Fill the cupcakes 2/3 full. Once baked, they should be flat on top and rise right up to the top of the liner.
• Standard cupcake liners were used for this recipe.
• Frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy them straight from the fridge or at room temperature (let them sit for 10-15 minutes before eating).

But wait, there is more!

Enjoy these other small batch recipes from my kitchen!