You know that feeling when you take a bite of something and it just stops you in your tracks? That’s what these cupcakes do. I’m going to show you how to make the best raspberry lemon cupcakes you’ve ever had, and it’s easier than you think. You’ll get fluffy lemon cake, a surprise pop of raspberry inside, and a frosting that tastes like a cloud.
This isn’t some super fussy recipe from a fancy bakery. It’s just good, honest baking that works every single time. Let’s get to it.
What You’ll Need
I’ve broken this down into three parts: the cupcakes, the filling, and that amazing frosting. Don’t let the list scare you, a lot of the stuff you’ll already have. The key is getting everything measured out before you start. It makes life so much easier.
For the Lemon Cupcakes
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 ½ cups | Spoon & level it |
| Baking powder | 2 ½ tsp | Not baking soda! |
| Salt | ½ tsp | Fine sea salt |
| Unsalted butter | 1 cup (2 sticks) | Must be room temp |
| Granulated sugar | 1 ¾ cups | |
| Large eggs | 4 of them | Room temp is best |
| Vanilla extract | 2 tsp | Use the good stuff |
| Whole milk | 1 cup | Room temp helps |
| Lemon zest | 2 tbsp | From 2 lemons |
| Lemon juice | ¼ cup | Freshly squeezed |
For the Raspberry Filling
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen raspberries | 1 ½ cups | Don’t thaw them |
| Granulated sugar | ¼ cup | |
| Cornstarch | 1 tbsp | For thickening |
| Water | 2 tbsp | |
| Lemon juice | 1 tsp |
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese | 8 oz block | Full-fat, room temp |
| Unsalted butter | ½ cup (1 stick) | Room temp is key |
| Powdered sugar | 4 cups | Sift if lumpy |
| Lemon juice | 2 tbsp | Fresh squeezed |
| Lemon zest | 1 tbsp | |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need a professional kitchen, just a few basics. Having the right tools makes the job go from a chore to something kind of fun.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins
- Cupcake liners
- A few mixing bowls (small, medium, large)
- Whisk and a spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small saucepan (for the filling)
- A cupcake corer or a small knife
- Piping bag and a star tip (like a Wilton 1M)
Let’s Bake Some Magic: Step-by-Step
Alright, this is where the fun starts. Just follow along, one step at a time. I’ll walk you through everything.
Part 1: Making the Raspberry Filling
You want to do this first so it has plenty of time to cool down completely. Putting warm filling in a cupcake is a recipe for a soggy mess.
Step 1: Put the frozen raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in your small saucepan.
Step 2: Stir it all together and cook it over medium heat. Keep stirring so it doesn’t stick.
Step 3: Let it bubble for about 5-7 minutes. It should get nice and thick, like jam.
Step 4: Pour the filling into a small bowl and stick it in the fridge to cool down completely. This can take an hour or so.
Part 2: Baking the Lemon Cupcakes
Step 1: Get your oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). Line your muffin tins with paper liners.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Just give it a quick mix to combine everything.
Step 3: In your big mixer bowl, beat the room temperature butter and sugar together on medium-high speed. Let it go for a solid 3-4 minutes until it looks pale and fluffy.
Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time. Wait for each egg to mix in before adding the next one. This is important!
Step 5: Mix in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Your batter might look a little curdled here. Don’t worry, that’s totally normal.
Step 6: Turn your mixer down to low. Add one-third of your flour mixture, then mix until it’s almost gone.
Step 7: Now add half of the milk, and mix again.
Step 8: Repeat with another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and finally the last of the flour. Mix only until you don’t see any more flour streaks. (Don’t overmix!)
Step 9: Fill your cupcake liners about two-thirds full. A large cookie scoop is perfect for this.
Step 10: Bake for 20-22 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Step 11: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool all the way. Seriously, let them cool completely.
Part 3: Frosting and Filling
Step 1: First, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together in your mixer until it’s super smooth with no lumps.
Step 2: Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
Step 3: Once the sugar is in, add the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Then turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip it for 2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
Step 4: Now for the assembly. Once the cupcakes are totally cool, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to cut a small hole out of the center of each one. Don’t go all the way to the bottom.
Step 5: Spoon your cooled raspberry filling into each little hole.
Step 6: Pipe that glorious frosting on top. A big swirl looks best. Garnish with a fresh raspberry if you’re feeling fancy.
My Pro Tips for Perfect Cupcakes
After making thousands of cupcakes, you learn a few things. Here are the secrets they don’t always put in the recipe.
- Room Temperature is Not a Suggestion. I know it’s annoying to wait, but having your butter, eggs, and milk at room temperature makes a huge difference. It allows them to mix together smoothly, which creates a lighter, fluffier cupcake. Cold ingredients just don’t cooperate.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter. Once you add the flour, you want to mix as little as possible. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes your cupcakes tough and dense instead of soft and tender. Just mix until the flour disappears.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting. This is the number one rookie mistake. Even a slightly warm cupcake will melt your beautiful frosting into a soupy mess. Be patient. Your reward is a perfect cupcake. I sometimes pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes to be extra sure.
Swaps and Fun Variations
Once you have this basic recipe down, you can play around with it.
- Different Berries: You could easily swap the raspberries for chopped strawberries or blueberries in the filling.
- Lime Instead of Lemon: For a different citrus kick, use lime zest and juice instead of lemon. A lime and raspberry combo is amazing.
- A Simpler Frosting: If you’re not a cream cheese frosting person, a simple lemon buttercream works great too. Just use 1 ½ cups of butter instead of the butter/cream cheese combo.
Storing Your Little Cups of Heaven
These cupcakes are best eaten within a day or two, but they’ll keep.
Because of the cream cheese frosting, you have to store them in the refrigerator. Put them in an airtight container—a tall one so you don’t squish the frosting. They will be good for up to 4 days.
Here’s a tip: let them sit out on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before serving. A cold cupcake can taste a little dense, but letting it warm up a bit brings back that soft texture.
Quick FAQ
Q1. My batter looks curdled after adding the lemon juice. Did I mess up?
Ans: Nope, that’s totally fine. The acid in the lemon juice reacts with the butter, but it will all come together perfectly once you add the flour.
Q2. Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Ans: You can, but fresh is so much better. The flavor is brighter and you need the fresh lemons for the zest anyway, so you might as well.
Q3. My frosting is too runny. How can I fix it?
Ans: Your butter or cream cheese was probably too soft. You can fix this by adding more powdered sugar, a quarter cup at a time, until it thickens up. You can also pop the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm it up before piping.
Q4. Do I have to core and fill the cupcakes?
Ans: You don’t have to, but it’s what makes them special! You could also just put a dollop of the raspberry filling on top of the frosting instead.
Wrapping Up
There you have it. This recipe isn’t just about ingredients and steps; it’s about creating something that makes people happy. When you bring these out, you’ll see smiles. That’s what baking is all about.
So give these a try. Don’t be afraid to make a little mess and have fun with it. When you make them, come back and leave a comment. I’d love to hear how they turned out for you
