This post may contain references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Oh Sweet Basil may receive compensation when you click on links to such products.
Moist lemon cupcakes topped with bright, beautiful blueberry frosting. If you’re looking for the prettiest cupcakes around – these lemon blueberry cupcakes are just the thing.
Lemon and blueberries are such a delicious combination. The tartness of the lemon adds such a delicious punch to the sweet, juicy blueberries. Plus – the color combo on these lemon blueberry cupcakes just might be my favorite.
So now that blueberries are coming into season – I wanted to make a new lemon blueberry treat. Last year I shared these raspberry lime cupcakes here on Oh Sweet Basil and everyone seemed to love them. So I figured you’d love these lemon blueberry cupcakes just as much.
Lemon Cupcakes
The lemon cupcakes are moist and fluffy with the perfect lemon flavor. The recipe starts with real butter for the most flavor.
Cake Flour
Then we’re using cake flour so the cupcakes are light and fluffy with a soft crumb. So if you’ve ever wondered how to make a soft and fluffy cake, it’s all about the flour.
Cake Flour Substitute
Cake flour really does make a difference but when you’re making a cake is there a cake flour substitute that’s worth it? Of course!
If you don’t have cake flour on hand – check out the notes section of the recipe for a substitute.
The Secret to Moist Cupcakes
Then plain Greek yogurt is the secret to moist cupcakes and what keeps them perfectly moist for a few days instead of instantly drying out..
Can You Substitute Bottled Lemon Juice?
Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest for that bright, tart but never sour lemon flavor. I don’t recommend using lemon juice from the bottle in this recipe because I find it too sour.
If you must use bottled, use slightly less than you normally would and if you’re lacking any lemon flavor add a little extract.
For the Blueberry Frosting
You will seriously fall in love with this blueberry buttercream. The bright purple-y blue color is 100% natural, and the blueberry flavor really comes through.
How to Make Natural Blueberry Frosting
First boil up the berries (fresh or frozen) in a medium sauce pan until the skin is softened and the blueberries form a thick sauce. Then push the sauce through a strainer to remove any large chunks, and allow the reduction to cool fully. It needs to be totally cooled before adding it to the frosting or else the frosting can separate, which no one wants.
Then from there, making the blueberry frosting is really simple. Beat softened butter until fluffy, then mix in about 1/2 of the powdered sugar. Beat in the 3 tablespoons of the cooled blueberry sauce, followed by the rest of the powdered sugar and a little whipping cream if necessary.
What Frosting Tip Do You Use?
I frosted my cupcakes with a 1M star tip and a piping bag. You could also use a round tip or a flat knife.
You’ll seriously love the flavor combo, pretty colors, and creamy frosting of these lemon blueberry cupcakes. They’re a little different, absolutely beautiful, and most importantly – delicious!
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Lemon Zest, use 1 tbsp for less strong lemon flavor
- 3 Egg Whites, large
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Cups Cake Flour, not self rising*
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt, I recommend using full fat
- 3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice, fresh
Blueberry Frosting
- 1 1/3 Cups Blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, soft
- 3 - 3.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Whipping Cream, as needed
Instructions
Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a muffin pan with muffin papers.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy.1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, 1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 2 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- Beat in the egg whites and vanilla extract.3 Egg Whites, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.1 1/2 Cups Cake Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- Carefully beat in about 1/2 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by about 1/2 of the yogurt. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and yogurt.1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- Stir in the lemon juice.3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
- Bake for 16-19 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Blueberry Frosting
- Add the blueberries to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.1 1/3 Cups Blueberries
- Gently stir as the blueberries start to soften. The mixture will start to gently boil and form a thick sauce. (About 10-15 minutes at a gentle boil).
- Remove from the heat and push the blueberry sauce through a strainer to remove any large chunks.
- Place in the fridge to cool fully.
- In a a large bowl beat the butter until soft. Then beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar.3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, 3 - 3.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
- Beat in 2-3 tablespoons of the reduced blueberry mixture (it needs to be fully cold first).
- Then beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, followed by 1 tablespoon of cream if needed until the desired sweetness is reached.1 Tablespoon Whipping Cream
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a piping bag and tip (I used a 1M tip) or a knife.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This lemon cake with lemon cream cheese frosting has a soft cake crumb and delicious lemon flavor.
Lemon Brownies
Lemon brownies are insanely delicious fudgy lemon bars with a sweet lemon cream cheese glaze.
Everyone loves it when I make these cupcakes! I’d love to turn it into a cake for my mom’s birthday. Is there a simple way to convert this into a round layer cake? Or do you recommend I use a different lemon cake recipe?
Hey Jackie! That’s a great question! This recipe would make a great. You’ll want to double the recipe for a 9×13 inch cake pan and bake at the same temperature for 25-30 minutes. I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe!
Can you substitute Swiss meringue buttercream for this American buttercream?
Sure!
I only made the frosting, and I agree with what others have posted – there is almost no blueberry flavor and without any vanilla or salt it just tastes like butter
Thank you for the feedback! Blueberries are so tricky to find that are flavorful and sweet. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out how you expected.
Really lovely cupcakes that were moist and lemony! The blueberry frosting was more of a purplish pink, which was a little disappointing, and it didn’t have a whole lot of blueberry flavor… but I will definitely make again and probably decorate with extra blueberries on the icing!
Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much Maria! Blueberry is such a hard flavor to carry through to a frosting but the color is so phenomenal!
I picked this recipe solely for the frosting to complement a vanilla huckleberry cupcake I made in order to use up some of last years picks stored in the freezer. I exchanged in Hucks for the blueberries in the frosting. I did boil it a bit to long and didn’t have much sauce but I also only did a 1/2 batch of frosting as a test so it worked out well. I will definitely make this frosting recipe again.
Nice!! I’m glad!!
Love anything lemon blueberry! For the frosting I added some blueberry flavoring that I bought at the cake supply store to bump up the blueberry flavor since blueberries have a mild flavor. It made all the difference. The frosting is a hit!! Thank you!
Oh that’s a great tip! Thank you so much for taking time to give us some feedback!
This was not a good recipe. The cupcakes were very dense and dry. The buttercream had zero flavour. I should have realized this was a poor recipe when I saw there was no added vanilla or salt to the buttercream – staples in every buttercream. The blueberry purée was clearly a waste of ingredients and time. There was hardly any berry flavour present in the finished buttercream, which was a very runny consistency, not at all practical for piping. 3/10.
Hi, I was just wondering if the frosting can also be frozen for use at a later time?
Hi Allison! No, the frosting does not freeze well unfortunately. The dairy in it separates when it thaws.
These are the ones! My youngest turns six and wants vanilla (I’m slipping in some lemon ones too, bc I know he’ll love the combo!) and blueberry cupcakes for his class. I’m so excited to find ones from you (I’m a longtime but quiet fan!!), AND that the frosting isn’t the speckled kind! Gorgeous!!
BTW.. I can’t tell you how heart-warming to read your support of helping children escape the sex trade! I am surrounded by folks whom are blinded (as I too, once was) to this reality. Its extra close to home for me, as my 4 children have been stripped from me by our 2 abusers.. And I find no local ‘belief,’ let alone support. Or if there is even belief, it (which really feels like ‘we’) are too icky to get involved.
I have been blessed by your words (and recipes, teehee!) many times.. But did not expect this. Thank you for your boldness.. And thank you for taking huge, tangible steps to do something about this horrific industry. Though mine may not necessarily be ‘missing/sold,’ they have been and are most certainly abused. I don’t know if I will be able to get to the bottom of things; if the signs and outright violation(s) will uncover what’s truly happening to my own babes.. But I do know this: you have greatly encouraged me to have faith in true light uncovering true darkness!! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for fighting for ALL our babes!!
P.S. THANK YOU from my little boy, too. I go to my youngest two’s school to see them.
He is happy when mama comes.. But I see his brokenness. Today he will have some extra joy today with sharing his cupcakes.. And maybe forget his reality for a moment. I can’t wait to take them in and see his smile…!!
Looks so lovely! Pity that we’re forced to pin the ugly pins with a band in the middle, with the name of the recipe/dish… Even after clicking on the pin & then looking for the photo you like the most & then pin. But now EACH photo has that long pin with the ugly band! It’s NOT aesthetically pleasing & will make me stop pinning recipes.
Hi Ann! If you hover over the picture you like, a little Pinterest “save” button will appear. You can pin it from there, and it pins that picture. I just tried it, and it worked great! I hope this helps!
We tried these, and while the cake was good, the frosting had almost no flavor, lemon or otherwise. We ate 4 of the 12 cupcakes then decided to scrape off the frosting and try another recipe that we found which included roughly double the sugar of this one, more lemon juice, and a tablespoon of lemon zest. The difference was huge, and the cupcakes went from bleh to amazing. I like this cake recipe, but the frosting recipe is a waste of ingredients.
I don’t understand your comment. There isn’t lemon in the buttercream… It’s blueberry. Twice the sugar in the buttercream would be so stiff you could barely use it.
Would adding blueberries to the cupcake jeopardize the consistency? My daughter lobes blueberries and I was thinking of adding some directly into the cupcakes for her birthday.
Thanks!
Hi Jasmin! I think adding blueberries to the muffins would be fine. I’ve never tried it though so I can’t say for sure.
Used lemon box mix and was excited for this frosting recipe for graduation party cupcakes. Incredibly disappointed. Had almost no blueberry flavor and was no where near the beautiful color promised in these pictures. Definitely won’t make again…
Hi Sami, I’m sorry you didn’t have good results. The berries are what lend the flavor and color. If they aren’t very good blueberries unfortunately that can happen. I’ve had similar results with all sorts of berries. I’m sorry.