Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes are the fresh and delicious treat you've been waiting for! These moist lemon cupcakes are made from scratch with fresh lemon, topped with a homemade raspberry buttercream frosting made with fresh berries for a fruity treat everyone will love.
Table of Contents
Our Raspberry Lemonade Cupcake recipe tastes like summer and sunshine in a cupcake! They are indulgent and delightful, with a fusion of tangy lemon and sweet raspberry flavor!
Combining the zesty freshness of lemon with the sweet, subtle tang and tartness of raspberries creates a unique and irresistible dessert. These cupcakes are guaranteed to impress with their vibrant flavors and beautiful presentation, and they are perfect for birthdays, Spring holidays, Mother's Day, or just any time at all.
Try these cupcakes with other berries like blackberries or blueberries, or with other citrus flavors like orange or lime!
For some more amazingly refreshing lemony desserts, check out my Mini Lemon Blueberry Cheesecakes, Glazed Lemon Cookies, Lemon Blueberry Bread, and this Lucious Lemon Layer Cake!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Use your favorite kind of berries for these yummy cupcakes, or change up the flavors with other extracts to suit your taste!
- We'll be using lots of fresh ingredients for the best raspberry and lemon flavors.
- These cupcakes are quick and easy to make and will look impressive on any dessert table.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butter - Salted butter provides a rich, creamy base for both the cupcake batter and the frosting.
- Granulated Sugar - Adds sweetness and helps create a light, fluffy texture in the cupcakes.
- Eggs - Eggs are essential for binding the ingredients together and adding moisture.
- Vanilla Extract - Use my Homemade Vanilla Extract or store-bought vanilla to add a subtle warmth and sweetness to both the cupcakes and the frosting.
- All-Purpose Flour - To give the cupcakes structure and softness.
- Baking Powder - Acts as a leavening agent, ensuring the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
- Salt - A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors.
- Whole Milk - Adds moisture and richness to the cupcake batter.
- Lemon - Use fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice for the best and brightest lemon flavor in the cupcakes and the frosting.
- Raspberry Jam - Adds a burst of raspberry flavor and can be used as a filling for an extra fruity surprise.
- Powdered Sugar - For the base of the raspberry buttercream frosting.
- Reduced Raspberry Puree - Make my homemade Reduced Raspberry Puree as instructed, or use your favorite Raspberry Preserve or Raspberry Jam to give the frosting its distinctive raspberry flavor and color.
How to Make Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
- Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla and scrape sides of bowl. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Mix in milk and lemon. Add milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing again until combined.
- Scoop batter into liners. Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full. I find a medium cookie scoop works best.
- Bake. Bake the cupcakes for 15–18 minutes until the tops bounce back when you touch them or a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before adding frosting or decorations.
- Make reduced raspberry puree. Blend 1 ¼ cups of fresh raspberries in a blender, strain through a fine mesh sieve, then simmer on the stove in a small pan over medium-low heat until reduced to about ¼ cup. Cool completely before using.
- Beat butter and sugar, then add lemon and raspberry. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy and smooth, about 2–3 minutes. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix again for 30 seconds. Add lemon zest and reduced raspberry puree, mixing until combined. Increase speed and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Adjust consistency. Add ½ cup more powdered sugar if it's too soft, or a little bit more raspberry puree, lemon juice, or a dash of whole milk if it's too thick to pipe or spread onto the cupcakes.
- Frost and decorate cupcakes. Use the raspberry frosting to frost the cupcakes, then decorate with fresh raspberries and a lemon slice on each cupcake as desired.
Recipe FAQ's
Of course! If you're planning for a big event, make the cupcakes a day ahead, store them in an airtight container at room temperature, and frost them on the big day! This will ensure the frosting and decoration on the cupcakes are perfect for presentation.
While fresh lemon juice is preferred for its natural flavor, you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. The taste might be slightly different, but they'll still be yummy!
The cupcakes will be done when they're turning golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
These cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. They can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but the cupcakes may dry out a bit and become denser if you do this, so it's best to eat them within 2 days or freeze them unfrosted for longer storage.
Absolutely! Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in the freezer when wrapped in plastic wrap and put into a large Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw them at room temperature and frost them with fresh raspberry buttercream frosting before serving.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients. Letting the butter, eggs, and milk come to room temperature before mixing them will create a smoother, evenly mixed batter.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix the ingredients until just combined; otherwise, your cupcakes may become too dense.
- Fill cupcake liners evenly. Using a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners will keep all your cupcakes the same size, ensuring they bake evenly.
- Cool before frosting. Be sure to allow the cupcakes to cool all the way before adding any frosting on top; otherwise, the frosting will melt into the cupcakes.
What to Serve with Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes?
Serve these Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes with some Fresh Squeezed Lemonade on a warm day, or make a Homemade Raspberry Lemonade with my Blackberry Lemonade recipe and Raspberry Coulis!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you're out of whole milk, a mix of half-and-half or a blend of milk and cream can work. For a dairy-free option, almond or soy milk can be used.
- If you only have unsalted butter, you can use it and add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt to the cupcake batter and ½ teaspoon of salt to the buttercream frosting to enhance the flavors.
- Add lemon extract or raspberry extract to enhance the lemon and raspberry flavors in the cupcakes and frosting if you are looking for an even punchier flavor.
- You can achieve an even more vibrant pink color by adding a few drops of pink or red food coloring (affiliate link) to the frosting or cupcake batter. This would work well for a birthday party or baby shower!
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love
- Key Lime Cupcakes
- Oreo Cupcakes
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
- The BEST Chocolate Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes
- Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- Burnt Almond Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup raspberry jam, (optional for filling cupcakes)
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup reduced raspberry puree (see notes), raspberry preserves, or raspberry jam
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Fresh raspberries, for decoration
- Lemon slices, for decoration
Instructions
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin or cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Add milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing again until combined.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full. I find a medium cookie scoop works best.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15–18 minutes until the tops bounce back when you touch them or a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely.
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy and smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix again for 30 seconds.
- Add lemon zest and reduced raspberry puree, mixing until combined. Increase speed and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add ½ cup more powdered sugar if it's too soft, or a little bit more raspberry puree, lemon juice, or a dash of whole milk if it's too thick.
- Use the frosting to frost the cupcakes, then decorate with fresh raspberries and a lemon slice on each cupcake as desired.
Notes
- To make reduced raspberry puree, blend 1 ¼ cups of fresh raspberries, strain through a fine mesh sieve, then simmer on the stove in a small pan over medium-low heat until reduced to about ¼ cup. Cool completely before using.
- You can use 1 Tablespoon of raspberry Jello powder or ¼ cup thawed raspberry lemonade concentrate in place of the raspberry reduction or preserves.
- Store: These cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but the cupcakes may dry out a bit and become denser if you do this, so it's best to eat them within 2 days or freeze them unfrosted for longer storage.
- Freeze: Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in the freezer when wrapped in plastic wrap and put into a large Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw them at room temperature and frost them with fresh raspberry buttercream frosting before serving.
