I have so many cakes and ideas and recipes to share over the next few weeks ... I had a hard time deciding where to start. But Lemon Kissed Cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting seemed like a good place.
But it's almost Easter. It's Spring. And lemon flavors just seem right for Spring. Oh. And I have an obsession with lemon.
Besides, yesterday I shared the Messy Buttercream Ruffles cake (thanks for your sweet comments), so today I thought I'd share cupcakes with a frosting recipe... and tomorrow (or maybe later today if I can't stand to wait) later today... another cake!
On with the show! Flavor-wise these Lemon kissed cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting are a lot like my Lemon Icebox cake, but they're different too!
The cake is my often-used vanilla cake recipe... nothing too extraordinary there but it works for me (and it's really good cake). PS. Do you see the lemon curd peeking out from under the frosting? I might have overfilled that one! Oops!!
Then I took a Wilton #230 Bismark tip and injected a pocket of Lemon Curd filling into the center of each cupcake. Can you see it there? Mmmmmm.
But then... to top it off, I wanted more than just the Cream Cheese Frosting that I put on the Lemon Icebox Cake. I wanted lemon in the frosting. So I came up with this recipe.   It's not much of a stretch from the cream cheese frosting! I just changed the proportions of the ingredients a bit and added lemon!
I used the Ateco #847 Closed Star Tip from the Ateco Large Tube Set to pipe on a big star of frosting.
As you read the recipe below, I want to mention that this frosting was softer (and creamier... and silkier... perfect!) Than I usually work with, but still stiff enough to hold it's shape when piped. Enjoy!!
Do you have any questions about these cupcakes or the recipe? Please leave them in the comments! Here's the printable recipe:
PrintRecipe
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 sticks of real (salted) butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces (115g) of shortening
- 4 ounces (115g) of cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ Tablespoon (7ml) vanilla extract
- 8-9 cups (1 quart) of powdered sugar
- ½ cup (118ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 (30-45ml)Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and cream cheese until very smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix again.
- Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time up to 8 cups.
- Your frosting will be very stiff at this point - now add in the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Mix and check the consistency.
- From here, I had to add a little more powdered sugar (it was too soft) but then I went too far, so I added a little more milk. Just play with it until you get a consistency you're happy with! I made mine on the softer side so it was silky smooth ... but still able to hold it's shape!
Barbara
Yum, I love lemon anything these look so pretty I've never used lemon curd, I just got some inspiration.
Have a great Tuesday!
Rose
I had never made or eaten lemon curd until a couple of months ago, but it's SO good and I will definitely use it more in the future!
andi
Your cupcakes look wonderful, pretty and yummy andi
Rose
Thanks Andi!
Katie Rash
Lemon is so perfect for spring and Easter, I love lemon! How do you get your cupcakes to look so perfect? Is it the type of cake cups? Mine never look this nice. 🙂 So scrumptious looking!
Kristen Miller
Katie, I keep trying to get her to explain it to me and still mine never seem to come out looking this nice either. I guess you just have to have the touch. Haha!
Rose
Thanks ladies... first up - most of my liners come from Walmart - Wilton brand (if they're colored) or I order in bulk the Reynolds brand (ie., cheap). One thing I've discovered lately that seems to make them look better is letting them cool in the pan. They seem to shrink and tighten up a bit - pulling the liner tight on the cake and making them look cleaner and really nice!? Does that make sense? As for the piping... I just practiced ALOT. And icing consistency makes a big difference with cupcakes!
Tracy
Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Rose
You're very welcome!
Desiree
I am featuring your dessert on my blog today!
YUM!
Rose
Awesome!! Thank you so much 🙂 I love your blog!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
Delicious! These are such beautiful cupcakes and that frosting sounds amazing.
Rose
Thank you Dorothy!
cheapcraftymama
YUM! Those are lovely and look delish- perfect for spring! I would love for you to share it at my new party which will be open this evening- "Pin It and Win It Wednesday" @ http://www.cheapcraftymama.com!
Rose
I'll plan to stop by - thank you for visiting!! Rose
Rose
Hay I love meeting people with the name Rose, That is my name too. Those lemon cupcakes look so good I will give them a try. I'm happy I found your wonderful blog I'm now following, I would love it if you came to visit me and share this and any other things you would like to share at my party. @ http://www.arosiesweethome.com/search?updated-max=2012-04-08T19:30:00-07:00&max-results=7
Thanks
Rose
Rose
Thanks for visiting and I'd love to hop over and link up! Thank you 🙂
Homegrown Beanes
These look delish! Can't wait to give them a try.
Rose
Thanks - I think you'll love 'em!
Lisa
They look divine Rose! I cannot wait to try these...I haven't made a lot of lemon desserts, but I will be making these soon 🙂
Colette Bomsta
Visiting from SugarBee... YUM!!!
Nicky @ Pink Recipe Box
Yum! These cupcakes look so light and fluffy. The buttercream frosting recipe sounds really interesting - I've never tried anything like it. Can't wait to give it a go. Pinned!
Rose
Thanks so much Nicky!
Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts
Thanks so much for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday - you were featured today!
--Mandy, http://www.SugarBeeCrafts.com
Rose
Thanks so much Mandy!! I almost missed your comment - it went to spam and I found it today! I love your blog 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Michelle
Rose,
These look Delicious! I love anything with lemon. I would love it if you shared this and any other posts you would like to on my link party. http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Michelle
Martha Stonewater
For this cupcake when you say you use your often-used vanilla cake recipe, do you use the vanilla pudding/white cake or the lemon cake mix/lemon pudding variation?
Rose
Sorry that was confusing... for these I did the white cake mix with vanilla pudding recipe, but if you want more lemon, that would be delicious too!! Thanks for visiting!
Martha Stonewater
Great! Thanks Rose, I bought all the ingredients to make both versions so I am ready to bake! Whether or not the kids will keep calm long enough to bake is the real question....ha ha!
Rose
I hope you love 'em as much as we did Martha!! OH, and I always find jobs for my kids to help or ban them from the kitchen!! 🙂
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs
Great recipe Rose! Your cupcakes and cakes are beautiful!
I made this icing today and skipped the milk since I was running low on powdered sugar. I ended up using 8 cups of sugar, then the 1/2 cup lemon juice, plus another cup of sugar and it came out a nice consistency. Easy to spread at room temp, but I put it in the fridge after a few minutes so it would get stiffer for piping and decorating. Thanks so much for helping to make a little girl VERY happy on her 3rd birthday!
Rose
Awesome!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I absolutely love these cupcakes!
Kathy Saggese
Facebook isnt working or I'd have shared on your page. I'm thinking of you as I'm up at 2am making this lemon cake, curd and lemon cream cheese frosting. I could eat the curd with a spoon it is so delicious! WOW!! This is now neck and neck with the chocolate/ganache cake. love you friend!!!
Rose
Awww, love you too!! YES - I love this lemon cake. And guess what I bought tonight? Lemon Oreos!! I can't wait to tear into them 🙂
Kerry
I was wondering how many cupcakes this recipe yielded for you. Also because of the cream cheese, did you keep them refrigerated? Thank you do much!
Rose Atwater
I think it was 30-35 cupcakes?! I try to make them close to delivery time so they don't have to be refrigerated because that tends to dry them out.
Margaret
Can you please approximate how many cupcakes your frosting will cover. I want to use the same technique that you use in your frosting cupcakes like a pro video. Thank you in advance
Rose Atwater
I honestly bake and make so much frosting at once, that I never measure, but my guess would be around 30 cupcakes. It will also depend on how much you pipe onto each one, of course. Best, Rose
Margaret
Thank you for the quick response.
Awatea
Hi could you please tell me if the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting would be ok under fondant?
Rose Atwater
I think it would work just fine under fondant, but I haven't actually tried it.
Hali
Found you on Pinterest! For the frosting I omitted the milk and the shortening and just used 8oz of cream cheese. It isn't thick enough for really good piping, but make for a cute little dollop on the cupcakes I made; and its SSSSOOOO good! Thanks!
★★★★
Juedie
Please tell me how much is a stick of butter. we don't have 'sticks' here. Please tell me weight.
Rose
4 oz.
Tracy
Is there anything that can be substituted for the shortening?
Rose
You could try all butter, but the frosting will not hold up as well.
Beverly
These cupcakes sounds so yummy. Love all the lemon.
Hugs,
Bev
Rachel Teodoro
Just wanted you to know that I will be featuring this in a dessert round up on my blog. Thanks for linking up to Create Link Inspire party! Can't wait to try this recipe!
Rose
Thanks SO much!!
Candice
Beautiful cupcakes! I am a little confused on where the recipe is for the cupcakes. Do you use your lemon chiffon cake recipe or vanilla cake recipe and substitute instant lemon pudding for the vanilla or white chocolate pudding? Thank you.
Rose
Sorry - for these I use my Vanilla Cake recipe, but you could also use a lemon cake (lemon cake mix with lemon pudding).
Robin
thank you for sharing your very delicious recipes!! I've used several and they're all FANTASTIC!
Robin
Ardell
Hi, I was not able to see the lemon cupcakes recipe only the lemon cream cheese frosting.
Rose
There's a link to the cake in the post!
Amy O.
I was just wondering if these take as long as your cake takes? I also just made the batter and it was pretty thick. Is that normal?
Rose
I bake cupcakes for 18-19 mins at 325°F. Yes, the batter will be thick.
Dorothy
DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THE RECIPE CAN YOU PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME, I AM NOT THE BRIGHTEST PERSON ON EARTH OR WITH COMPUTERS JUST LOVE COLLECTING CERTAIN RECIPES, THANK YOU
★★★★★
Dorothy MacRae
HOW MANY CUPCAKES AND SIZE AND HOW LONG DID YOU BAKE THEM FOR
★★★★★
Anne
Where is the lemon cupcake recipe? And there are so many ads here the screen is slow freezes up and is sooooo frustrating!! Gah!!!
Kat
I made these for my family and they RAVED over them! It’s the best lemon frosting I’ve ever tasted. I probably won’t ever try another recipe, this one is seriously that good.
That being said, I agree with Anne, the amount of ads and pop-ups on your site makes it difficult and frustrating to navigate the page, especially on mobile devices.
★★★★★
Riya
those cupcakes are looking so amazing
Cloudy
How weird. I see the recipe for the frosting but where is the recipe for the cupcakes?