Any lemon lover will agree that these Mini Lemon Cupcakes are bite-sized perfection. The fresh lemon zest paired with the creamy lemon buttercream frosting gives these mini cupcakes the best lemon flavor!

These would be perfect for a bridal shower, Mother's Day, or a super simple and fun way to make baked goods that are all about portion control. With all the flavor packed in every bite of this mini lemon cupcakes recipe, you feel anything but restricted!
This is easily one of those cupcake recipes that will live rent-free in your head for days after making it. This only means one thing - you need to keep the specific ingredients on hand at all times to curb that craving when it hits!
If you love this simple cupcake recipe try my Strawberry Banana Cupcakes or Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe!
Ingredients
- Salted butter - Make sure that this is softened.
- Sugar - Adds sweetness to the cupcake batter.
- Eggs - Helps bind the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Whole milk - Used to help thin out the batter.
- Baking powder - For making super fluffy cupcakes.
- Salt - For flavor.
- Lemon zest - I like to use lemon zest because it has a strong lemon flavor in a small amount.
- Vanilla extract - Adds flavor.
- Flour - Needed to make the batter for the cupcakes.
- Powdered sugar - Adds sweetness and texture to the creamy lemon frosting.
- Lemon extract - To flavor the icing. You can swap in more lemon zest if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Mini Lemon Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cupcake liners to a mini cupcake pin or a mini muffin tin pan.
Step One: Mix the softened butter, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Cream until smooth.
Step Two: Add the milk and eggs. Mix well.
Step Three: Add the flour and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Step Four: Pour the cupcake batter into the liners until they are ⅔ full. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are browned slightly.
Step Five: Cool completely. While they cool you can make the frosting.
Step Six: Cream the butter until smooth.
Step Five: Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Add the lemon extract. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then medium for 1 minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the frosting looks dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix again.
Step Six: Add to the top of the cooled cupcakes. I find it easiest to use a piping bag when frosting so many cupcakes.
Top Tip
You can also test the doneness of the cupcakes with the toothpick test. Once the baking time has passed, insert a clean toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done and ready to be removed from the oven.
Substitutions
- Lemon juice - If you want a milder lemon flavor, you can use lemon juice instead of extract.
- Lemon glaze - If you don't want to add frosting to the top of this lemon cupcake recipe, a glaze works perfectly fine! Just mix a cup of powdered sugar with a bit of lemon juice and a drop of vanilla. Thin with milk, if needed.
Variations
- Lemon filling - If you want to add a tangy lemon curd filling, go for it! Use your favorite homemade lemon curd recipe and have fun.
- Full-sized cupcakes - You can easily make these into full-sized homemade lemon cupcakes. Just add more batter to the full-sized cupcake liners. It won't make as many, but you can make a small batch recipe out of it.
See this Mini Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe for another tiny tasty treat!
Equipment
To make this lemon cupcake recipe, you'll want to have a large bowl and a medium bowl, cupcake liners, a cupcake or muffin pan, and a hand mixer. Some use a cookie scoop to add the batter to the liners, but that isn't a must-have.
Storage
Let the baked cupcakes cool to room temperature before storing. Once cooled, add them to an airtight container. Keep them stored in the fridge for the best results. If you want to freeze them for later, you can. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
I always freeze my cupcakes without frosting and then make them fresh to add on top once I'm ready to serve.
Common Questions
Using a cookie scoop makes it simple, but you can also just pour carefully.
You can! You could easily make this into a small mini cake to share and enjoy! Just follow the directions on the recipe card and pour the batter into a small cake pan instead of a cupcake pan. Pay close attention to the baking time as it will be different due to the different pan and thickness of the batter.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Mini Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
Frosting
- 6 oz salted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini cupcake pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and baking powder. Cream until smooth.
- Add in the milk, eggs, and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour and mix on medium speed for two minutes.
- Fill each cupcake liner until about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Add lemon extract to taste.
- Mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then medium speed for about a minute. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides and mix again. If the frosting appears too lumpy and dry, add an additional tablespoon of milk, only if needed. Mix again.
Nutrition
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