Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Super soft and moist and lemon cupcakes with the perfect zesty flavor and blueberries in every bite, topped with irresistible lemon cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- 1 Cup (132g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) lemon juice from 1-2 medium lemons
- 2 tsp lemon zest from 1/2 medium lemon
- 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup (67g) fresh blueberries, cut in half
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour (for coating the blueberries)
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 Cups (480g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 8 Oz (226g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese*, room temperature NOT the spread
- Pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnish (optional)
- fresh blueberries
Instructions
Make the Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºF) and line a standard cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and lemon juice and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and large bowl), mix together the sugar and lemon zest on low speed until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Add the butter and cream it together with the lemon-sugar mixture on medium speed until light and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable oil and beat until combined, light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the vanilla, then turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for one minute.
- Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture all at once. Mix on low speed until just combined, then slowly pour in the lemon milk mixture. Mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Coat the blueberry halves in 1 tsp flour and use a rubber spatula to fold them into the batter, then divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Add about 1/2 of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then add the lemon juice and continue mixing on low speed. Add the rest of the powdered sugar until combined. It will look pretty crumbly and thick, but don't worry! It will come together after the next step.
- Add the cream cheese and salt and mix on medium speed until fully combined and smooth (no lumps), about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
Assembly
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them with the lemon cream cheese buttercream. To create the look pictured, add the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake, then garnish with fresh blueberries.
Notes
*It’s very important to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese in the lemon cream cheese buttercream recipe (I use Philadelphia brand), not the spread or low-fat variations. The spreadable kind and reduced fat versions contain much more water content and will add too much liquid to the frosting, making it impossible to work with. If you don’t have access to brick-style cream cheese, I have listed alternative frosting recommendations in the blog post above or you can browse all of my frosting recipes here.
Make Ahead Tips:
- The lemon blueberry cupcakes can be made ahead and stored, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
- The lemon cream cheese buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix it with your stand mixer on low speed until it’s smooth and uniform.
- The decorated cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator since the frosting contains cream cheese. When you're ready to serve, bring them back to room temperature so they return to their soft and fluffy texture.