Limoncello Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting (Printable)
Moist lemon cupcakes infused with Limoncello liqueur, topped with creamy lemon frosting. Ideal for warm-weather entertaining.
# What You Need:
→ For the Cupcakes
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tbsp lemon zest
08 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
09 - ¼ cup Limoncello liqueur
10 - ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ For the Limoncello Frosting
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2–3 tbsp Limoncello liqueur
15 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 tsp lemon zest
17 - Pinch of salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
07 - Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add Limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt, and beat until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
09 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost with the Limoncello frosting. Decorate with extra lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of fresh lemon and creamy Limoncello creates this impossibly moist crumb that stays tender for days
- That frosting is basically edible sunshine sweet but not cloying with this tiny alcohol warmth that makes people ask whats your secret
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are absolutely critical here if your butter or eggs are cold the batter will curdle and your cupcakes will be dense
- Do not overmix the batter once you add the flour or youll develop gluten and these will turn into tough little muffins
- Cupcakes must be completely cool before frosting or the buttercream will melt right off
03 -
- Use a microplane or zester to get just the bright yellow part of the zest avoiding the bitter white pith beneath
- For extra moist cupcakes brush the warm cakes with a simple syrup made from equal parts lemon juice and sugar before frosting