Honey lemon cupcakes are the perfect combination of sweet and tart! Honey and lemon is such a classic pairing, and this lemon cupcake recipe is one of the best ways to enjoy it. These lemon cupcakes are light and fluffy, with a hint of zesty sweetness that will leave everyone wanting more!
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This lemon cupcake recipe has to be one of my all-time favorites! Seriously, these lemon cupcakes boast a beautiful moist crumb and a delightful lemony flavor - which is perfectly complemented by the subtle sweetness of honey. Not to mention they are incredibly easy to make! My lemon cupcakes recipe doesn't call for any special ingredients or techniques, so bakers of all skill levels can enjoy these yummy treats.
Lemon cupcakes are delicious in their own right, but when paired with my cream cheese frosting, they become absolute perfection! The cream cheese frosting adds a subtle tanginess that brings out the lemon flavor, taking these cupcakes from delightful to irresistible!
But before you try out this lemon cupcake recipe, let me share some of my top baking tips to ensure your honey lemon cupcakes come out perfect each and every time.
3 Baking Tips For Moist Cupcakes
No one likes dry, overbaked cupcakes! To ensure your lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting stay soft and delicious, follow these simple tips:
- Use room-temperature eggs: Cold eggs can affect the texture of your cupcakes, so make sure you bring them to room temperature before baking. I usually leave my butter and eggs out overnight to ensure they are at the correct temperature.
- Don't over-mix the batter: Overmixing can cause the gluten (the protein that provides structure to baked goods) in your cake batter to develop too much, resulting in tough cupcakes. Mix your batter until just combined - no more than that!
- Don't overbake: Keep an eye on your lemon cupcakes and take them out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This usually takes about 15-18 minutes, but do check to make sure.
Why You'll Love This Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
- Quick and easy. For a speedy dessert or afternoon treat, these honey lemon cupcakes are the perfect solution.
- Deliciously lemony. My lemon cupcake recipe offers an irresistibly zesty taste that adults and kids alike will love!
- Great for batch cooking. This is an easy recipe to double or triple, so you can make lemon cupcakes to feed a crowd or to store in your freezer all at once!
Ingredients For Lemon Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Honey
- Almond extract
- Whole milk
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Instructions For Lemon Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside.
- Stir milk, lemon juice and zest together, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add in almond extract and honey and mix until just combined.
- Tip: spray measuring cup with non-stick spray before measuring the honey, it will come out so much easier!
- Starting with the wet ingredients, alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just barely combined at each stage.
- Pour evenly into muffin tins, they will be about ¾ full. Bake about 15-18 minutes, checking for doneness at 15. A toothpick should come out with a few crumbs if they are done.
- Let cool before icing.
This delicious whipped cream frosting recipe goes great with these lemon cupcakes!
As these are lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, we must store them in the refrigerator. Place your lemon cupcakes in an airtight container, and they will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze your lemon cupcakes! Store your unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-friendly container or bag, and they will stay fresh for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply leave them in the fridge overnight. Once defrosted, you can top your cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and enjoy!
Both water and milk can be used to make cupcakes, but it really does depend on what your lemon cupcake recipe calls for. For example, I use milk rather than water in my lemon cupcakes recipe. Milk helps to provide a richer flavor and moist texture, thanks to the fat and sugar content. This is why you will see milk used in most cupcake recipes rather than water.
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Honey Lemon Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup very soft butter (one stick)
- ¾ cups sugar
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside.
- Stir milk, lemon juice and zest together, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add in almond extract and honey and mix until just combined.
- Tip: spray measuring cup with non-stick spray before measuring the honey, it will come out so much easier!
- Starting with the wet ingredients, alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just barely combined at each stage.
- Pour evenly into muffin tins, they will be about ¾ full. Bake about 15-18 minutes, checking for doneness at 15. A toothpick should come out with a few crumbs if they are done.
- Let cool before icing.
- Use this whipped cream cheese frosting recipe for a delicious topping!
Alli
Great flavor combo!
Krystyne king
Dear Alli, love your blog. Thought you might want to be alerted to the typo in your About Ally write up. Dairy is spelled incorrectly and as a mom of a fellow dairy scientist, I thought you would want to know.
Krystyne.
Alli
I'm so glad you love the blog! Thank you SO much for telling me about the typo! I always miss when it's diary instead of dairy :). You're great!