The kitchen windows were open, letting in the summer breeze as Liam pulled a chair up to the counter. "Can we make the pink and yellow cupcakes?" he asked, already reaching for the measuring cups. These lemon raspberry cupcakes have become our summer ritual - a recipe born from a happy accident when I had too many raspberries from our neighbor's garden and a craving for something bright and fresh. Over countless Sunday baking sessions, Liam and I have perfected these little cakes that balance tangy lemon with bursts of sweet-tart raspberry.
Why You'll Love These Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
I remember bringing these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes to a neighborhood potluck last July, setting them next to a fancy store-bought cheesecake that cost a fortune. By the end of the night, my humble cupcakes were gone while the expensive dessert sat mostly untouched. There's something about the combination of bright lemon and sweet raspberries that just makes people happy. Even my neighbor Tom, who swears he only eats chocolate desserts, asked for the recipe after sneaking two of these onto his plate.
What makes these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes so perfect for summer is how well they hold up. When Liam had his baseball tournament, I made these the night before. They survived the morning in a cooler and still tasted fresh when we pulled them out to celebrate their win (or console their loss - I forget which, but the cupcakes worked either way!). The burst of raspberry in every bite feels like summer sunshine, and the lemon keeps them from being too sweet. They're the dessert I turn to when I want something special without spending hours in the kitchen or breaking the bank on fancy ingredients.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes Ingredients
- How To Make Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Equipment
- How to Store Your Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Substitutions
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes Variations
- Top Tip
- Mom's Hidden Shortcut That Actually Works (Your Turn to Try It)
- FAQ
- Time to Start Baking!
- Related
- Pairing
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes Ingredients
The Cupcake Stars:
- Fresh lemons
- Plump, ripe raspberries
- Real butter
- Tangy buttermilk
- Pure vanilla
For the Dreamy Frosting:
- Cream cheese
- More fresh lemon zest
- Powdered sugar
- A few fresh raspberries for color\
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
The first time Liam helped make these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, flour ended up everywhere except the bowl - including his eyebrows! Now we've got our system down to a science:
Getting Started (10 minutes):
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Line your muffin tin with paper liners
- Take butter and eggs out early to reach room temperature
- Zest lemons before juicing them (so much easier!)
- Gently wash and dry raspberries
Making the Batter (15 minutes):
- Cream butter and sugar until it's really fluffy and pale
- Add eggs one at a time (Liam's job - with supervision)
- Mix in lemon zest, juice, and vanilla
- Add dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternating batches
- Fold in raspberries by hand with just a few gentle strokes
Baking Magic (18-22 minutes):
- Fill each liner about ⅔ full (our cookie scoop is perfect for this)
- Tap the pan twice on the counter to release air bubbles
- Check at 18 minutes by touching the top lightly
- Let cool in the pan for just 5 minutes before moving to rack
Frosting Fun (10 minutes):
- Wait until cupcakes are COMPLETELY cool (I learned this the hard way)
- Beat cream cheese and butter until super smooth
- Add powdered sugar gradually to avoid the "sugar explosion" (Liam still talks about the time I added it all at once)
- Swirl on with a knife or pipe with a large star tip for fancy occasions
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Electric mixer
- Microplane zester
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium cookie scoop
- Cooling rack
How to Store Your Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Counter Storage (2 days):
- Unfrosted cupcakes in container with lid slightly ajar
- Frosted ones in cake carrier or under inverted bowl
- Keep away from direct sunlight
- Never cover with plastic wrap (goodbye, pretty frosting!)
Refrigerator Tips (3-4 days):
- Must refrigerate with cream cheese frosting
- Add small piece of bread to container to maintain moisture
- Bring to room temperature before serving (cold dulls the flavor)
- Store away from strong-smelling foods
Freezer Magic (up to 2 months):
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes only
- Wrap individually in plastic
- Store in rigid container
- Thaw unwrapped at room temperature
- Frost after completely thawed
Transport Tricks:
- Mini muffin tin secures unfrosted cupcakes
- Egg cartons work great for frosted ones
- Bakery boxes with inserts for special occasions
- Avoid stacking or tilting
Substitutions
Quick Fixes:
- Butter → Plant-based butter sticks
- Buttermilk → Almond milk with a splash of vinegar
- Cream cheese frosting → Vegan cream cheese or simple lemon glaze
- All-purpose flour → Cup-for-cup gluten-free blend
Fruit Switches When Berries Are Pricey:
- Raspberries → Blackberries
- Fresh berries → Frozen
- Berries → Diced strawberries
- Whole berries → Good quality preserves swirled in (about 3 Tbsp)
Lemon Alternatives:
- Meyer lemons → Regular lemons
- No lemons → Orange zest and juice
- Missing citrus → 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes Variations
After baking these for countless occasions,Liam and I have come up with some winning variations:
Berry Stuffed Surprise:
- Core center of cooled cupcakes
- Fill with raspberry preserves
- Top with normal frosting
- Watch for surprised smiles!
Lemon Curd Layer:
- Split cooled cupcakes horizontally
- Spread with lemon curd
- Reassemble before frosting
- Extra tangy goodness!
Triple Berry Blast:
- Mix raspberries, blueberries, blackberries
- Fold gently into batter
- Creates beautiful color swirls
- Every bite slightly different
White Chocolate Wonder:
- Add white chocolate chips to batter
- Fold in with berries
- Mix melted white chocolate into frosting
- Sweet creamy pockets!
Inside-Out Version:
- Make raspberry cupcakes
- Use lemon buttercream
- Reverse the classic flavors
- Pretty pink and yellow combo
Top Tip
Liam and I discovered our favorite twist for these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes completely by accident. One Saturday morning while making these for a neighborhood block party, Liam was in charge of measuring vanilla but got distracted by cartoons. He grabbed the almond extract instead and added a full teaspoon before I noticed!
I was about to start over when we decided to taste the batter first - and it was amazing! That tiny hint of almond completely transformed the flavor, bringing out the sweetness of the raspberries while complementing the lemon perfectly. It doesn't taste almond-y at all; it just adds this mysterious depth that makes people ask, "What is that wonderful flavor?"
Now we always add exactly ¼ teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla. It's become our signature secret, and when people ask for the Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, I sometimes "forget" to mention this ingredient - though I'm sharing it with you now! Liam calls it our "secret weapon" and feels so proud when people rave about our Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes.
Mom's Hidden Shortcut That Actually Works (Your Turn to Try It)
Between deadline days for my cooking column and Liam's packed after-school schedule, I sometimes need a shortcut that doesn't sacrifice quality. Here's my slightly embarrassing but totally effective hack: use a lemon cake mix as your base, but doctor it up!
Replace the water called for on the box with buttermilk, add an extra egg, substitute melted butter for the oil, and then fold in fresh lemon zest. Nobody has EVER guessed these were from a mix! The texture is actually perfect every time, and you can still fold in fresh raspberries just like the scratch version.
For the frosting, though, I never cheat. Homemade cream cheese frosting takes just minutes and makes all the difference. I've tried the canned stuff in emergencies, and Liam immediately called me out with his brutally honest, "What's wrong with the white stuff on top?"
FAQ
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Absolutely! I often make them the day before parties. The lemon and raspberry flavors actually develop nicely overnight. For best results, store unfrosted Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes in a container with the lid slightly ajar, then frost them the next day. Once Liam's baseball team was rained out, and the unfrosted cupcakes lasted beautifully on the counter for two days until we could reschedule the celebration.
Why did my raspberries sink to the bottom?
This happened to me when I used extra-large berries from our farmer's market! Try cutting them in half or even quarters if they're particularly big. Another trick I learned after a sunken-berry batch: toss your raspberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them into the batter. The light coating helps them stay suspended. And always fold them in as the very last step with minimal stirring.
Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?
Yes! When fresh berries are $6 for a tiny container in winter, frozen ones are a lifesaver. The key is to NOT thaw them first - fold them into the batter while still frozen. This prevents their color from bleeding too much into the batter. Liam actually prefers the frozen berry version because they create little pockets of intense raspberry flavor as they bake.
Do these cupcakes need to be refrigerated?
If you're using cream cheese frosting, yes. The cream cheese isn't stable at room temperature beyond a few hours. When I send these to school with Liam, I use a buttercream frosting instead so they can sit safely in cubbies until lunchtime. Just remember to bring refrigerated cupcakes to room temperature before serving – the flavors are much more vibrant when they're not cold.
Time to Start Baking!
After years of bringing these sunshine-filled treats to everything from Liam's classroom parties to neighborhood potlucks, I can honestly say these lemon raspberry cupcakes are foolproof crowd-pleasers. The bright pop of citrus with bursts of berry creates a perfect balance that's impressive enough for special occasions but simple enough for random Tuesday baking sessions with Liam.
Looking for more cupcake adventures to try? Our Quick & Delicious Churro Cupcakes Recipe brings cinnamon-sugar magic to your kitchen with half the effort of making actual churros. Need something uncomplicated but impressive? Try our Perfect Lemon Cupcakes in 3 Easy Steps for the simplest version of citrus bliss. Feeling a bit fancy? Our Easy Boston Cream Cupcakes deliver all the flavor of the classic cake in adorable individual servings!
Don't forget to share your Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes creations! Liam checks the tags every afternoon after school and does a little happy dance whenever he sees someone trying our recipes.
Rate this Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes and join our baking community!
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin (Standard size)
- Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer)
- Microplane zester (For zesting lemons)
- Measuring cups & spoons (Dry and liquid)
- Medium cookie scoop (For even batter distribution)
- Cooling rack (To cool cupcakes evenly)
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- ½ cup Unsalted butter - Room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs - Room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract - Optional, highly recommended
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest - From 1–2 lemons
- ¼ cup Fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Buttermilk - Room temperature
- 1 cup Raspberries - Fresh or frozen (not thawed)
Frosting:
- 8 oz Cream cheese - Softened
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter - Softened
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2–2.5 cups Powdered sugar - Adjust to taste
- 4–6 Raspberries - For garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Bring butter and eggs to room temp, zest lemons, and wash raspberries.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in extracts, lemon zest, and juice.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the mixture.
- Gently fold in raspberries with minimal stirring.
- Fill liners, bake for 18–22 minutes, and check for doneness.
- Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.
- Beat cream cheese and butter, then add lemon zest and powdered sugar.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and optionally garnish with raspberries.
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