Also try my lemon blueberry cake!
We have lemon cupcakes with blackberry cream cheese frosting on today’s menu. These cupcakes are all sorts of flavorful with a giant dose of naturally colored (yay!) and naturally flavored (yay again!) blackberry frosting. They’re your dessert answer for everything coming up:
- Literally any springtime celebration = these cupcakes.
- Lilac/lavendar wedding color scheme? Done.
- Bridal shower? Obviously.
- Baby shower? This is your dessert, totally gender neutral.
- Mother’s Day or Father’s Day celebration? Parent approved.
- No reason at all? Do you even need a reason to make cupcakes?
In terms of flavors, they remind me of my lemon berry yogurt cake and citrus cake.
This is my basic recipe for lemon cupcakes, which I also use for lemon raspberry cupcakes. They’re soft and fluffy with bright and sunny lemon flavor. I published the recipe 4 years ago and they’ve never steered us wrong! The recipe is actually my most popular cake recipe on my blog: lemon blueberry cake… only reduced to make cupcakes. So if you’ve tried the lemon blueberry layer cake recipe, you know the cupcake version is a winner too.
There’s nothing crazy or fancy about the batter. Simply creamed butter + sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, milk, and lemon. The usual gang! The batter is creamy, silky, and has the most unbelievable fresh lemon fragrance. You’ll fall in love even before you steal the first taste.
Remember to only fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full—just like you see above.
Grab fresh blackberries, puree them in a food processor (I use my little ninja!), then push through a fine mesh strainer to rid the seeds. You’re left with thick and seedless blackberry juice, which will go directly into the frosting. I suppose a blackberry jam works just as well, though the flavor may not be as potent.
(Don’t you just want to swipe a taste with your finger???)
I don’t suggest doing this method with any other berry—though raspberries *should* be fine. Strawberries and blueberries produce a juice that’s much too thin for cream cheese frosting. You know what to do instead? Freeze-dried berries. You know I swear by freeze-dried berries for this strawberry buttercream frosting.
#1 Issue with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a cream cheese frosting variation so make sure you’re using brick cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. That’s the #1 issue readers face when making cream cheese frosting. You want the actual brick of cream cheese, sold right next to the tubs of cream cheese spread.
The blackberry flavor in this frosting is mild, but you’ll know it’s there. The blackberry cream cheese frosting is a little thinner than we’re used to because of the added juice, but I was still able to pipe it with my #12 round tip. I actually loved how light it was, especially paired with an equally light lemon cupcake. The frosting is also super soft and just as creamy as you see in the photo above.
Baker’s Tip: Try filling these cupcakes with my homemade lemon curd for an extra special treat! See my How to Fill Cupcakes tutorial and video for exactly how to do so. (Use method #2 outlined in that post for filling.)
This is, without a doubt, my new favorite cream cheese frosting. I’m already planning on using it as an alternate filling in this strawberries and cream cake roll and urge you to try that too! Also, doesn’t looking at the purple color instantly put you in a better mood? Experience it all ASAP. ↓
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Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These lemon cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and exploding with lemon flavor. Topped with fresh blackberry cream cheese frosting for the ultimate treat!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk*
- zest + fresh juice of two medium lemons*
Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup fresh blackberries, divided*
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk, lemon juice, and zest until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Puree 1/2 cup—2/3 cup blackberries in a small food processor. Push through a fine mesh strainer to rid the seeds. You’ll have a couple Tablespoons of puree.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, blackberry puree, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. I used Wilton #12 round tip. Garnish with remaining berries.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Plain cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Food Processor or Blender | Wilton #12 Round Decorating Tip | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable)
- Milk: I suggest whole milk or buttermilk. Any milk is fine, but you’ll get the most wonderful moist, soft, and rich texture with either of those 2.
- Lemons: About 1 and 1/2 Tbsp zest and 1/4—1/3 cup lemon juice.
- Blackberries: I don’t suggest using frozen blackberries, nor do I suggest any other berry. Raspberries *might* work, but strawberry and blueberry puree will be much too thin. Instead, use freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries like we do in strawberry buttercream frosting.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I used the frosting recipe for a blackberry/raspberry cake for my sons birthday. We really loved the flavor with a classic butter cake base and filled with the frosting and fresh berries. I was just disappointed by the texture, it was not stiff enough to pipe decorations. I actually used a whole stick of butter and one more cup of powdered sugar than your recipe. And I used 1 cup of both berries mixed together and cooked it with 2 tbsp lemon juice, strained it and then only ended up using 3 tbsp total in the frosting. But all in all the cake was delicious. Thank you!
Hi! Huge Sally fan here. This is the first recipe from this blog that I haven’t been able to perfect! Was hoping to have some input.
Actually the cupcakes turned out perfect, it’s the icing. The icing was really runny! At first it would just spill off the cupcakes. I ended up adding probably almost a cup more sugar and it only stiffened it up enough to wear it would sit on the cupcake and not spill but it was still really runny. The blackberry and lemon garnishes sunk right through it.
Any input? I ran the mixer as long as the recipe calls for so I don’t think I overmixed it. I think I might have overmixed the blackberry puree or put too much blackberry puree in? Would that be a factor?
But still, the frosting is absolutely delicious. My friends say these cupcakes are my best yet, despite being the icing being really messy. The flavor of the cupcake and the frosting is just perfect. Totally addicted.
Hi Jennifer! Are you outside of the US by chance? Cream cheese products vary by region and, unfortunately, cream cheese is much thinner outside of the US and usually results in thin frosting. Chilling the frosting in the refrigerator helps to solidify it so that it spreads much easier and holds its shape on the cupcakes. (That always helps cream cheese frosting!)
AAH! Sally herself! Hi there, Sally. No, I live in the US and used a full 8oz block of cream cheese. Maybe next time if I have this problem, I’ll try more cream cheese? The frosting was so delicious I saved it in the fridge to put on bother baked goods, and I guess it’s firmed up a bit but not a lot.
Hi Jennifer,
You most likely added too much blackberry puree; it will really thin out your frosting if you add too much. I would recommend to keep the same amount of ALL the ingredients (cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, salt) except decrease the amount of puree!
Hi Sally, just made these cupcakes. They turned out beautifully. How do I reduce the sugar amount in the frosting without compromising on the stiffness? Mine did not hold well because I lessened the sugar and so I refrigerated them but that made the muffin bottom drier when they had been a lot fluffier just out of the oven.
Hi Jennifer, I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes. Reducing the sugar in the frosting will make it very soft. If it’s simply tastes too sweet you can add a bit more salt to cut the sweetness. Or if you are looking for a frosting made with less sugar you can try making my Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Can I substitute the butter with oil? If possible, how much? Thank you.
I don’t recommend it.
Hi Sally!!
Im am so ecstatic. Just finished making these cupcakes and the baked beautifully. Will pair them with your lemon buttercream.
Thank you very much for the great recipes!
Teresa
I thought these were amazing! Even better the next day. The icing was a little runny but still delicious. How could i convert this to a 9×9 or 9×13 cake?
Hi Chelsea! This amount of batter is ideal for a 9×9 inch baking pan size. Bake at 350F. I’m unsure of the exact bake time, but you can begin checking the cake at about 25-30 minutes for doneness.
Hi, this recipe looks amazing and I’ll definitely try it this weekend! Do you think it would work with limes instead of lemons?
Yes, absolutely!
This frosting is AWESOME. Decorated mine the same way as the recipe. They look so elegant!
Sally, these turned out amazingly! Was worried the frosting wouldn’t hold up, but put them in the fridge until ready to serve and they held up beautifully! Thanks for another incredible recipe!
Hi Sally!
I made this recipe twice and had the same problem both times. When I pull the cupcakes out of the oven they are PERFECT! However, after just a couple minutes the cupcakes start deflating and end up looking kind of smushed (for lack of a better word) and are also dense in texture. This happened when I used both buttermilk and whole milk. Any suggestions? Could it be that I’m using too much acid (too much lemon juice and/or zest)?
Hi Molly! Happy to help. Perhaps too much acid? I’ve never had this happen before so my first guess wouldn’t be that– it would be that your cupcakes are under-baked. If you decide to try them again, I recommend keeping them in the oven for a couple extra minutes.
They taste great but they didn’t rise. They were supposed to be for a birthday party but now we’re just eating them at home.
This is a delicious recipe! I doubled it to bring to a party and everyone loved them. The cake is so delicious in this recipe and the tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect compliment. The purple from the blackberry puree turns the frosting a beautiful color. Thank you, Sally!
Looks delicious and this is my favorite flavor combo! I’d like to make this for Easter but it’s just my husband and I this year. Any way to convert this into 6in cake pans?
Hi Lindsay! Actually, any cupcake recipe yielding 12-16 cupcakes converts beautifully into 3 6-inch cake pans. I recommend you follow the baking instructions for my 6 inch cake recipe.
I love this recipe! The cupcakes are delicious and lemony and the cream cheese frosting was perfectly creamy with a definite hint of blackberry. They are also beautiful and I got so many compliments on them when I brought them to a friend’s party. Thank you so much!
Hi Sally,
How would you adjust the bake time if I use a 24-cup mini cupcake pan?
Thanks!
Sure can! For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature.
Could I use frozen blackberries for the puree and fresh for the topping? Would that work? This looks super good. I love your cookbook btw.
Hi Betty! Thawed blackberries work for the purée, yes.
This question might be a little scientific, but why wouldn’t you use baking soda instead of baking powder, since there is an acid (lemon juice) in the batter? I thought baking soda is used in recipes with acid because the two chemically act together for the rise. No?
This amount of lemon juice wouldn’t be enough to react with and neutralize the proper amount of baking soda to give enough lift to the cupcakes. Baking powder is best for this recipe.
These cupcakes are AWESOME! The flavor combination of the cupcakes and the icing is perfect!
I was wondering if you have any tips for making a blackberry buttercream frosting, rather than cream cheese frosting. If so, do you think the buttercream frosting will pair as well with these cupcakes as the cream cheese frosting?
Thanks!!
Hi Shawn! I’m at a loss as blackberry buttercream, without the cream cheese, never seems to work for me. Curdling is usually an issue from the fresh fruit.
These look amazing. If I make this frosting ahead of time and freeze it, do you think it will pipe with a star tip after defrosting, or is the consistency too thin? Thank you!
You could try that. It may hold its shape better, but I can’t say for sure.
These lemon cupcakes are the best! Sally I just wanted to thank you so much for all of your amazing recipes. I just delivered 4 dozen cupcakes for my daughter’s prom and I used your recipes exclusively! Everyone is always telling me what a great baker I am, but really, all I do is read your blog, follow your directions to the letter and I get wonderful results every time. I made your chocolate cupcakes, lemon cupcakes and I made cupcakes out of your raspberry chocolate chip cake…I used raspberry frosting, chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting and a combination of raspberry and chocolate frostings. All came out great and looked amazing (largely because of your frosting tips). Thank you so much for doing all of the testing and refining of these recipes so I know just where to go whenever I need to bake something. I truly appreciate it!
-Jessica
Just made the lemon cupcake part of the recipe. I went with a cream cheese frosting, sans the blackberries and added a little lemon juice. I’m in love! This cake recipe is divine!
I made the cupcake part of these for an early Father’s Day dinner on Sunday. As always I ended up with sixteen cupcakes rather than twelve but that seems to be more to do with my pans than Sally’s recipe. Anyway! The cupcakes were amazing! The top had a nice crisp sweetness and the inside was soft and fluffy. I cooked them for slightly under the stated time and tested and they were perfectly done. I filled them with some lemon curd and topped with a nice lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream and some diced strawberry. Next time I would probably fill with Strawberries and top with a lemon cream. But I will definitely give blackberries a try when they come into season here in July.
These are delicious! This is the first lemon recipe I’ve every made. Love lemons but love chocolate even more, lol. My husband and I really love the texture of these cupcakes and the lemon flavor. Loved the frosting too. Beautiful cupcake presentation! I will make your lemon cake for my husband’s birthday. Your recipes have never failed me!!!
I made these for a baby shower and they were a huge hit! great recipe, thank you!
OMG…I made these for Mother’s Day and WOW!!! That Blackberry frosting was ridiculously good! After frosting the lemon cupcakes, my son and I literally stood at the mixing. Owl that had the frosting in it and just dipped the left over blackberries in the frosting and ate them….YUM YUM YUM!! These. Cupcakes were insane…seriously so good! I brought them to my neighbors and they all enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing an amazing recipe!
I made these for Mothers Day, boy what a HIT! The cupcakes are to die for, perfectly lemony sweet, like those sugared lemon hard candies from old timey candy stores. And the frosting was amazing! I’m a die hard chocolate lover, and these may just be making a break for my all time favorite cupcake spot. Everyone loved them, and now my co-workers are ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the 4 leftover cupcakes I brought in for them.