How to make Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

If you love the flavour of lemon then you’re going to love this Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes recipe. It’s an easy recipe that combines the fresh flavours of delicious zesty lemon with a touch of sweetness, to create a very welcome sweet treat.

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes are a wonderful variation of the classic Lemon Drizzle Cake. These elegant little citrus-flavoured cupcakes are perfect as a sweet ending to a meal or as a sweet treat at the end of a long day. I adore these little cakes they’re so full of zesty lemon flavour and light and moist texture. They’re truly delicious.

Ingredients for Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

You’ll be relieved to know that this recipe doesn’t use anything outlandish and you probably already have the ingredients at home.

• softened butter – I use butter for baking because I love the depth of flavour that it gives the finished item. However, if you prefer to use something else, then that is fine. If you use margarine, just to be sure, check that it can be used for baking so as not to spoil the end results. ( It should say this on the packaging)
• caster sugar – this provides sweetness to the cakes. I use caster sugar to ensure a lovely lightness in texture.
• eggs – incorporate air, give a bit of a lift to the cake and bring everything together.
• lemon – this recipe uses two lemons. The zest and a little lemon juice go into the cake mixture, and the remaining lemon juice is used to make a lemon syrup – the drizzle.
• plain flour – also known as all-purpose flour in some parts of the world. This is for structure.
• baking powder – this provides a little bit of lift to the mixture as it bakes to give a delicious light cupcake.
• lemon juice + caster sugar – the lemon juice from one lemon plus the remaining juice from the other lemon and a few extra tablespoons of caster sugar are combined to make a gorgeous drizzle for the cupcakes.

Equipment needed to make Cupcakes

You don’t need anything exotic either to make them either. If you do much baking at all then you probably have all of this to hand.

You will need;

• a cupcake baking tin – these come with either 6 or twelve cavities. These are generally non-stick these days but I still use cupcake cases so that they leave the pan safely with no little pieces left behind. Plus, you can find all kinds of pretty designs of cupcake liners which really make the little cakes look special.
  • if you have a silicone baking pan then you probably don’t need the cupcake cases.
  • you can also just grease a standard pan. But cupcake cases make cleaning up easier after your baking session and can look gorgeous.
• Bowls – this goes without saying but you’ll need a mixing bowl to mix the cupcake ingredients in. You’ll also need a bowl to make the drizzle in.
• Measuring equipment – a measuring scale of some kind and a few spoons for measuring out ingredients and mixing.
• grater or zester – you need to be able to zest the lemon which you can do with a zester or a box grater that also has a fine side to it.
• cooling rack – a place to sit the cupcakes whilst they cool down. They allow a nice flow of air around the little cakes and keep anything too hot off of your kitchen work surfaces.
• fork or toothpick -this is for poking small holes in the surface of the cupcakes to allow the lemon glaze to soak down into the cake. A piece of uncooked spaghetti works too. This creates a giving a truly wonderful citrus dimension to the cupcake.
• timer – is a great help. Your oven probably has one inbuilt but you definitely need a way of tracking how long the cakes are in the oven.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

This Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes recipe is really simple to make and the end results are really exciting. So, let’s get started.

Preparing the Cupcake Batter

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix until well combined.

Add the Lemon Zest

Grate the lemon zest using a zester or the fine side of a box grater, ensuring to only grate the outer layer of the lemon peel. Gently fold the lemon zest into the batter, allowing its aromatic oils to infuse the mixture with a delightful lemoniness. Also, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice at this point.

Completing the cupcake mixture

Sift the plain flour (all-purpose flour), and baking powder into the batter.

Line the muffin tin with cupcake cases and divide the batter evenly among them. Fill each cupcake case to about 3/4 full – this leaves a little room for the cupcake to rise but not spill over the top.

Bake in a preheated oven until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. This will take approximately 20 minutes.

Creating the Lemon Drizzle Glaze

While the cupcakes are cooking, prepare the lemon drizzle glaze. Mix fresh lemon juice and caster sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. This glaze, which is a type of simple lemon syrup, will add an extra layer of zesty sweetness to your cupcakes and ensure a delicious moistness. They really do have a wonderful texture.

Adding the Lemon Drizzle Glaze

Once the cupcakes have cooled slightly, use a fork or toothpick to poke holes into the top of each cupcake. (The cakes will still be in the baking tray at this point.) The holes need to go right to the bottom of the baked cupcake so that the glaze can penetrate throughout the cake. Be as tidy as you can about this so that you don’t spoil the look of the cake. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cupcakes, allowing it to seep into the holes and infuse them with lemony goodness.

Allow them to sit on the baking tray to cool a little more (ten minutes or so) before removing them from the baking tray and leaving on the cooling rack to fully cool.

Presenting these understated little cupcakes

Arrange your lemon drizzle cupcakes on a pretty plate, and garnish them with additional lemon zest (optional) for a pop of colour and flavour.

Possible Variations to this Recipe

• For an added twist, consider adding a hint of poppy seeds to the cupcake batter. Or you could try out the Lemon and Poppyseed muffins recipe
• Experiment with different citrus fruits like oranges or limes for unique flavour variations. You would follow this recipe as it is written and substitute the alternative fruit for the lemon.

Storing these Cupcakes

To maintain their freshness, store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy them within a few days to experience them at their best.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q’s)

Want a little more baking inspiration? Take a look at these.

• Easy Vegan Blueberry muffins
• Blueberry Orange Muffins
• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cranberry White Chocolate Muffins
• Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping

Other Lemon Recipes:

• Lemon Chia Pudding
• Lemon Cookies
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

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