Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
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Indulge in these delightful lemon blueberry cupcakes that are irresistibly soft and moist, bursting with bright, fresh lemon flavor in every bite. Each cupcake is generously dotted with sweet blueberries, creating the perfect balance of citrusy zing and fruity sweetness. To take them to the next level, finish them off with my super creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting that’s truly out of this world.
This weekend, treat yourself to the delightful experience of baking lemon blueberry cupcakes! They are not only easy to make but also deliver stunning results that will impress everyone. These lemon cupcakes are incredibly moist, perfectly sweet, and packed with juicy blueberries in every bite.
Don’t worry if the batter seems thick; it bakes up beautifully, turning into a fluffy treat. And let’s not forget the cream cheese frosting. It’s super simple to make and pairs perfectly with the cupcakes. You can whip it up in about 10 minutes while your cupcakes are in the oven, maximizing your baking time.
For that picture-perfect look straight from the photos, finish off your cupcakes with fresh blueberries and a lemon slice. Trust me, your friends and family will be asking for seconds!
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Butter: Use unsalted sweet cream butter that is softened to room temperature for both the cupcakes and the frosting.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar works for the cupcakes. It’s best to use confectioners’ sugar for the frosting.
- Eggs: Allow them to come to room temperature before using them in the cupcake batter.
- Lemon: The zest and the juice are used for the cupcakes.
- Vanilla: You only need a splash to enhance the sweet flavor of the lemon cupcake.
- Milk: Since we are using lemon juice in the batter, whole milk is recommended. Mixing the milk and lemon juice together essentially makes a homemade buttermilk.
- Flour: I recommend sticking to all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Blueberries: I like to look for smaller blueberries so they dot more of the cupcake, and you are sure to get one in each bite.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for the frosting.
How to Make Lemon Bluberry Cupcakes
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Make the cupcakes. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.
- Stir the milk and lemon juice together; set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add it to the butter mixture while alternating with the milk mixture. Gently stir in the blueberries.
- Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups lined with cupcake liners.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the frosting. Mix the cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as you desire.
Tips For Success
- You can use frozen blueberries in place of fresh! No need to thaw them beforehand!
- Switch up the berries! You can use any berry in this recipe. For larger berries such as strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries, I recommend cutting them in half.
- If you want a lemony frosting, you can try my lemon cream cheese frosting instead of the regular cream cheese frosting the recipe calls for.
- The frosting is a reduced version of my large batch cream cheese frosting. It is soft and won’t hold up to intricate piping. I used a simple, large round tip from Ateco.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Buttercream
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Lemon Curd
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (160 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
For the frosting
- 8 ounces (226 g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla.
- In a small measuring cup with a pour spout, stir together the lemon juice and milk. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk and add it to the butter mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in the blueberries
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few dry crumbs.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the sugar and vanilla. Beat on low until just incorporated, then turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients! All refrigerated ingredients should be brought to room temperature so they mix more easily into the batter.
- Properly measure the flour. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour. You can read more about this in my “how to measure flour” post.
- Don’t overbake the cupcakes. Bake just until you have moist crumbs on a toothpick inserted into the center. Overbaking will cause them to be dry.
Make-ahead tips
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and whip briefly before using.
- Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.