I made tiny raspberry-and-lemon cupcakes that pair fresh tart raspberries with a bright hit of lemon in a light cake that I’m calling the Best Mini Cupcakes.

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I make Raspberry Lemon Heaven Cupcakes when I need something bold and a little reckless. The tart lemon zing plays off plump fresh raspberries and a tender crumb that comes from plain all purpose flour, so each bite is bright but not fussy.

I once joked they’d take a prize in Bake Off Winning Recipes, but really they’re my go to for those chaotic, delightful moments I scribble under How To Eat A Cupcake notes. They look delicate, but they demand to be eaten now, fingers and all.

If you like surprises, these will make you rethink what a cupcake can do.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Provides carbs and structure, a bit bland, helps cupcakes hold their shape
Granulated sugar: Makes sweet, adds moisture and tender crumb, mostly simple carbs
Fresh raspberries: Bright tart flavor, adds vitamin C and fiber, bursts of juicy goodness
Lemon zest and juice: Zesty sour punch, loads of aroma and vitamin C, balances sweet frosting
Unsalted butter: Rich fat, gives flavor and moistness, makes frosting creamy and stable
Greek yogurt or sour cream: Adds tang, a little protein, keeps crumb tender and moist
Powdered sugar: Silky sweet for frosting, mostly carbs, controls texture and sweetness level

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)

unsalted butter, softened, divided (1/2 cup / 113 g for batter, 1 cup / 227 g for frosting)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries plus extra for garnish

3 to 4 cups (360 to 480 g) powdered sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for frosting

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

pinch of fine salt

extra lemon zest and raspberries for decorating

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it, set aside.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and the zest of 2 lemons until light and fluffy, it may take 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

4. In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts alternating with the milk-yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with the dry, mixing just until combined, dont overmix.

5. Gently toss 1 cup fresh raspberries with a tiny dusting of flour so they dont all sink, then fold them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the liners about 2/3 full.

6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes in the tin 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. For the frosting, beat 1 cup (227 g) softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, then add 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until smooth, if you want a brighter lemon punch add up to 1 more tablespoon lemon juice, if too thick add up to 1 more tablespoon cream, if too thin add more powdered sugar up to 4 cups total.

8. Stir in a little extra lemon zest to taste. If the frosting gets too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up, or beat it more until fluffy.

9. Pipe or spread the lemon frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra raspberries and extra lemon zest. Store in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving, they keep well for a few days.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners or nonstick spray
2. Electric mixer (hand or stand) or a sturdy whisk
3. Mixing bowls, medium and large
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup
5. Microplane zester or fine grater for the lemons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding stuff in
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for powdered sugar and a little flour dusting
8. Wire cooling rack, toothpicks for testing doneness, and a piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for frosting

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh? A: Yes. Thaw and drain them well, pat dry, then toss gently with a teaspoon of flour to help stop color bleed and sinking into the batter. Fold them in at the very end so they dont break up too much.

Q: How do I avoid soggy cupcakes from the raspberries? A: Don’t overload the batter with fruit, coat berries lightly with flour, and fold gently. Bake until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, and avoid cutting into them while theyre hot.

Q: Can I swap the Greek yogurt or milk for something else? A: Sure. Sour cream or full fat yogurt works the same, and any milk (dairy or unsweetened plant milk) can replace the milk. If you swap the butter in the batter for oil it’ll be tenderer, but keep butter for the frosting.

Q: My frosting is too runny or too stiff, how do I fix it? A: To stiffen add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time. To loosen add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a little cream or milk, mixing until you reach the texture you want. Chill briefly to firm it up before piping.

Q: How should I store or make these ahead of time? A: Unfrosted cupcakes keep at room temp 1 day, or in the fridge 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. You can freeze baked, unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months – flash freeze on a tray then bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and frost before serving.

Q: Can I cut down on the sugar? A: You can reduce the granulated sugar in the batter a bit, about 10 to 25 percent, without ruining texture. Dont cut the frosting too much though or it wont set right; start with 3 cups powdered sugar if you want less sweet and adjust to taste.

Raspberry Lemon Heaven Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour → cake flour or a 1:1 gluten free blend. Cake flour gives a lighter, tender crumb; to DIY swap, for each cup remove 2 tbsp AP flour and add 2 tbsp cornstarch. If you go gluten free, use a weighed 1:1 blend (about 190 g total) that contains xanthan gum so the cupcakes hold together.
Granulated sugar → light brown sugar or coconut sugar, roughly 1:1 by volume. Brown sugar makes the cake a touch moister and adds a caramel note, coconut sugar is less sweet and will darken the color a bit. Either works fine, just expect slight flavor and texture changes.
Unsalted butter (batter) → neutral oil (canola, vegetable) or melted coconut oil. Use about the same volume (1/2 cup) for the batter; the cupcakes will be a bit denser and moister than with butter, and they won’t have quite the same buttery flavor.
Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream → buttermilk or full fat plain yogurt, or a thick dairy free yogurt. For buttermilk use the same volume but cut the milk called for by about 2 tbsp so the batter isn’t too loose. Full fat yogurt is a straight swap, non dairy yogurts work but may change tang and texture.

Pro Tips

– Let your butter, eggs and yogurt come to room temp before you start. Cold stuff makes the batter seize up and you end up overmixing to compensate. If you forgot, cut the butter into small cubes so it softens fast, or warm the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.

– Be gentle with the raspberries. Toss them lightly in flour, fold them in at the very end, and stop mixing as soon as they’re distributed. Overmixing will break them and turn your batter pink and soggy, and nobody wants that.

– To keep berries from sinking, put a small spoonful of batter in each liner, set 1 raspberry in the middle, then cover with more batter. This centers the berry and helps it stay suspended, giving a nicer look and fewer wet spots in the middle.

– For the frosting, beat the butter alone until silky before adding sugar, and add lemon juice a little at a time so it doesn’t get runny. If it does thin out, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and then whip again, or add a bit more powdered sugar until it holds a peak. Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge but bring them to room temp 20 to 30 minutes before eating so the buttercream tastes bright and not greasy.

Raspberry Lemon Heaven Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I made tiny raspberry-and-lemon cupcakes that pair fresh tart raspberries with a bright hit of lemon in a light cake that I’m calling the Best Mini Cupcakes.

Servings

servings

Calories

497

kcal

Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners or nonstick spray
2. Electric mixer (hand or stand) or a sturdy whisk
3. Mixing bowls, medium and large
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup
5. Microplane zester or fine grater for the lemons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding stuff in
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for powdered sugar and a little flour dusting
8. Wire cooling rack, toothpicks for testing doneness, and a piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
unsalted butter, softened, divided (1/2 cup / 113 g for batter, 1 cup / 227 g for frosting)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries plus extra for garnish
3 to 4 cups (360 to 480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for frosting
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
pinch of fine salt
extra lemon zest and raspberries for decorating

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it, set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, set aside.
In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and the zest of 2 lemons until light and fluffy, it may take 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts alternating with the milk-yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with the dry, mixing just until combined, dont overmix.
Gently toss 1 cup fresh raspberries with a tiny dusting of flour so they dont all sink, then fold them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the liners about 2/3 full.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes in the tin 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting, beat 1 cup (227 g) softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, then add 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until smooth, if you want a brighter lemon punch add up to 1 more tablespoon lemon juice, if too thick add up to 1 more tablespoon cream, if too thin add more powdered sugar up to 4 cups total.
Stir in a little extra lemon zest to taste. If the frosting gets too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up, or beat it more until fluffy.
Pipe or spread the lemon frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra raspberries and extra lemon zest. Store in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving, they keep well for a few days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.