These lemon drizzle cupcakes are a must-try for all cake lovers! Soft and fluffy lemon cupcakes topped with a lemon sugar drizzle and icing.
I'm on a bit of a cupcake roll right now! Having recently made Dairy Milk cupcakes, Galaxy Caramel cupcakes and Victoria sponge cupcakes, today I am bringing you these lemon drizzle cupcakes. They are just like the classic British cake but individual-sized. Think of them as mini lemon drizzle cakes!
If you're a beginner baker and would like detailed notes and step-by-step instructions, keep on reading. For those of you who prefer the quick, condensed version, you can find it in the recipe card at the end of the post. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
There are just 6 simple ingredients in this recipe...
- Butter: I always recommend softening your butter before baking, which will make it much easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients. To soften your butter, you can either leave it out at room temperature for 60 minutes or you can pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, making sure not to melt it.
- Caster sugar: Caster sugar is a finer version of white granulated sugar and it's what I recommend for this recipe. You can also find it under the name of 'superfine sugar' in other countries.
- Eggs: I used 3 medium eggs in my cupcakes. Of course, eggs do vary in size so if you find that your cake batter is still too thick after adding the eggs, you can stir in a splash of milk to help loosen it.
- Self-raising flour: Self-raising flour is all-purpose flour that has baking powder added to it already. I like to use this for ease and quickness. If you don't have any to hand, just use all-purpose/plain flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder separately.
- Lemons: Of course, to make lemon drizzle cupcakes, we need some lemons! You'll need both the juice and the zest so I recommend having 2-3 lemons on hand.
- Icing sugar: Last but not least, you'll need icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar and confectioner's sugar) for the drizzle of lemon icing on top.
Equipment
Aside from the ingredients above, here are the things you'll need to make these mini lemon drizzle cakes:
- Food scale: Always measure with a digital scale when baking for best results- they are much more reliable than cups. I use this one.
- Mixing bowls: You'll need a large one for the cupcake batter, a medium one for the icing and a very small one to mix the lemon sugar drizzle.
- Utensils: A wooden spoon for mixing and a couple of smaller spoons to put the batter into the cupcake cases.
- Grater: To get the lemon zest.
- Cupcake tin and cases: A 12-hole cupcake tin and 12 paper cases. I like to use yellow ones when baking lemon-flavoured cupcakes.
- Pastry brush: This is optional but it makes it easier to spread the lemon sugar drizzle around evenly. You can use a teaspoon to do this instead if you prefer.
- Piping bag: I used a small piping bag to drizzle the icing on top of the cupcakes. Again, you can use a teaspoon to do this if you like.
How to make lemon drizzle cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180°C (or 160°C for fan ovens) and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together 190g softened butter and 190g caster sugar until soft and fluffy.
Step 3: Add 3 eggs and 190g self-raising flour to the bowl, a little bit at a time. Mix everything together until you have a smooth, thick batter. You can add a tablespoon or two of milk to help loosen it if you need to.
Step 4: Grate the zest off of 2 lemons and stir it into the cake batter.
Step 5: Divide the cake mix evenly between your 12 cases. Bake your mini lemon drizzle cakes for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick through the centre comes out clean.
Step 6: While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the lemon sugar drizzle by mixing the juice of 1 lemon and 4 tablespoons of caster sugar together. Brush this mixture onto the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven, while the cupcakes are still hot.
Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Step 7: Once the cupcakes have cooled, it's time to prepare the icing. Mix together 125g of icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth and runny. Pipe or spoon a drizzle of icing onto each cupcake.
Step 8: Let the cupcakes sit at room temperature until the icing has hardened then enjoy!
Top tips
- Use a pastry brush to top the cupcakes with the lemon sugar drizzle. This will allow you to spread it evenly with ease and even do multiple layers if you like.
- The cake batter should be quite thick but if it's so thick that you can't mix it, use a tablespoon or two of milk to help loosen it a bit.
- For the best cupcake shape, use a deep cupcake tin. The shallower tins can cause the cupcakes to bake out the way rather than up the way.
FAQ
If you keep them in an airtight container, they'll last for 3-4 days. I recommend storing them at room temperature or in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cupboard.
Yes, these are perfect for freezing. Pop them into airtight containers and freeze them for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze them on a baking sheet for a couple of hours then put them into a freezer bag once solid. To defrost them, let them sit out at room temperature for an hour or two. Do not refreeze.
Yes! Just swap the self-raising flour for an equal amount of gluten-free self-raising flour. If your flour blend doesn't already contain xanthan gum, you'll need to add ¼ teaspoon of it separately to help the cupcakes bind together.
I hope you like these lemon drizzle cupcakes. If you try out the recipe at home, please let me know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Enjoy!
Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 190 g Softened butter
- 190 g Caster sugar
- 3 Medium Eggs
- 190 g Self-raising flour
- Zest 2 Lemons
Lemon sugar drizzle:
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 4 Tablespoons Caster sugar
Icing:
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 180℃ (160℃ for fan ovens) and line a cupcake tin with 12 cases.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.
- Mix in the flour and the eggs, a little bit at a time, until you have a smooth, thick cake batter. Then stir in the lemon zest.
- Divide the batter between your 12 cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the lemon sugar drizzle.
Lemon sugar drizzle:
- Squeeze all of the juice out of the lemon and mix it with the sugar. Brush this mixture onto the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven, while they're still hot. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing:
- Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and runny. Use a piping bag or teaspoon to drizzle some icing onto each cupcake.
- Allow the icing to harden then enjoy!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Add a splash of milk to loosen the cake mix if needed.
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