Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

4.60 from 30 votes

These light, extra moist Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes are the perfect treat. Baked in just 20 minutes using a simple cake recipe with added zing!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Family Food

Servings: Cupcakes

Author: Sarah Rossi

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

150 g Sugar
150 g Butter
3 Eggs
150 g Self Raising Flour
1 Lemon Zest Only (reserve lemon for the drizzle)
1 tsp Lemon Extract

For the drizzle:

25 g Icing Sugar
Lemon Juice From the lemon you used for zest in the cupcakes

For the buttercream icing:

250 g Butter
500 g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Lemon Extract

To decorate:

1/2 jar Lemon Curd Approx 160g

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180deg fan (200deg conventional).
Put 12 cupcakes cases into your tin ready.
Cream your room temperature butter with your sugar until its pale, light and fluffy.
Either: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing really well after each egg. Don't worry if it curdles slightly, it will come good OR: Add all of the eggs, flour, zest and lemon extract.
Mix together by hand or with a mixer until everything is well combined.
Spoon equal amounts of mixture into your cupcake cases. I use an ice cream scoop as this gives the perfect amount and ensures some uniformity.
Bake for 15 minutes approx. You may need to adjust this depending on your oven. The cakes should be golden and slightly bouncy to the touch.
Meanwhile make your drizzle. Mix together icing sugar, and the juice from the lemon you previously used for the zest.
Now make the buttercream icing, beat your butter until its, pale, light and fluffy.
Beat in your sieved icing sugar and add in your lemon extract.
Take your cupcakes out of the oven, whilst they are still warm in the tin, drizzle over your lemon drizzle.
Once the cakes are cooled pipe over the icing, and then either take a fresh bag with the end snipped off or drizzle the lemon curd on top.
Enjoy!

Notes

TOP TIP! My secret weapon for any recipes with citrus zest in is my Microplane Zester. I know I'm a wimp but I used to hate making anything with lemon zest in before splashing out on one of these. They have SO many glowing reviews. You can buy them here on Amazon: Microplane Premium Zester.

TOP TIP! To make sure that your cupcakes are of even sizing I use an ice cream scoop to put the mixture into the cupcakes. It’s my favourite cupcake and muffin baking trick and kids LOVE using a scoop too.

TOP TIP! If your buttercream is too stiff add a teaspoon of boiling water, one at a time until it is a smooth pipe-able texture.

TOP TIP! It is really important to use a good quality lemon extract, not essence. An extract will contain flavouring produced from lemons, rather than an essence which is a chemically produced flavouring, which has probably never seen a lemon in it's life!

TOP TIP! I used piping bags for the icing and lemon curd, but you can pop on with a knife and spoon if you don't have any.

TOP TIP! Don't overbake the cupcakes. Be sure to take them out of the oven when they are only JUST cooked as the heat in the pan will continue to cook them for a little while.

Nutrition