Best-Ever Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These mini lemon cupcakes are the absolute best ones out there! Tons of lemon flavor in the cupcakes and a rich cream cheese frosting on top is essential!
Servings 3 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup agave syrup
- 2 large eggs
- Juice and zest from 2 medium lemons
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Grated lemon zest for garnishing optional
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a three 12-cup mini muffin tins with muffin wrappers and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until completely smooth. Beat in agave, eggs, lemon juice and zest, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, gently stirring until batter is just combined.
- Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter. Bake cupcakes at 350F 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick tests done. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until completely smooth. Add butter and beat until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until creamy. Add half-and-half, vanilla, and lemon zest, beating until thick and creamy.
- Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with lemon zest if desired. Enjoy!