These raspberry and lemon cupcakes are absolutely divine. Soft and fluffy lemon sponge cakes with a hidden raspberry jam centre topped with a zingy lemon buttercream. Sheer perfection!
Raspberry and lemon is one of the most delicious combinations I can think of, and these raspberry and lemon cupcakes are among the best cupcakes I have ever tried.
I’ve been making this recipe for years – in fact, it used to be on here back in the day when I used my blog as a recipe journal and no-one ever read it apart from my family and friends!
Goodness knows what I was thinking when I deleted the recipe, but thankfully I had it saved in my recipe folder. I think it’s time to give it the attention it deserves.
If you like really zingy lemon cakes, you’ll love this recipe. These cupcakes are simply bursting with lemon flavour.
If you love lemon desserts as much as I do, then you should take a look at these recipes for lemon drizzle cake, lemon drizzle traybake, lemon posset and lemon and raspberry blondies.
Ingredient list
(scroll to the bottom of the post to find printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions)
for the cupcakes you will need:
- self raising flour
- baking powder
- soft butter
- caster sugar
- lemon curd
- Zest of two lemons
- large eggs
- sour cream
- about half a jar of raspberry jam to fill the middle of the cupcakes
for the lemon buttercream
- soft unsalted butter
- Icing Sugar
- lemon curd
- For a really zingy buttercream, add a little fresh lemon juice – about 1 tablespoon.
To decorate the cupcakes
- Fresh raspberries
- Finely grated lemon zest
tips for making these raspberry and lemon cupcakes
- Before you start baking, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Your butter should be soft and pliable, not dissolving into an oily puddle.
- I add a little lemon curd to the cupcake batter – it gives a lovely flavour. Adding lemon curd and sour cream will give you lovely soft, moist cupcakes that will keep well for at least 3 days.
- Fill the cupcake cases no more than 2/3 full to prevent the cupcakes from rising over the cases.
can I USE PLAIN FLOUR INSTEAD OF SELF RAISING?
Yes you can use plain flour if you don’t have any self raising – but you will need to add 2 teaspoons of baking powder so the cupcakes will rise. Simply sift the plain flour and baking powder together to combine and voila – you just made self raising flour.
love your lemon bakes super zingy?
To make really zesty lemon buttercream, add a little fresh lemon juice. If you would prefer a more subtle lemon flavour, the lemon curd will do just nicely.
I hope you love these raspberry and lemon cupcakes! Let me know what you think if you do try it – and rate the recipe out of 5 by clicking on the stars in the recipe card below.
If you’ve taken a photo of your cupcakes, I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram #sweetsavouryblog
how long will these cupcakes keep for?
Because of the sour cream, these lemon cupcakes will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Store them in an airtight container. Since they are topped with fresh fruit, the cupcakes should be stored in the fridge to prevent the fruit from becoming mouldy.
You could decorate the cakes with freeze dried raspberry pieces if you don’t want to use fresh fruit.
more fruity bakes for you to try
more cupcake recipes to try
Raspberry and Lemon Cupcakes
These raspberry and lemon cupcakes are zingy, fresh and absolutely divine! Soft, fluffy lemon cupcakes with a hidden raspberry jam centre and a light, fluffy lemon buttercream!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 250g self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 175g soft butter
- finely grated zest of two lemons
- 50g lemon curd
- 200g caster (super fine) sugar
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 250g self raising flour
- 125ml sour cream
- 150g raspberry jam for filling the cupcakes
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 300g Icing (confectioner's) sugar
- 125g soft unsalted butter
- 50g lemon curd
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for a super zingy, sharp buttercream)
- TO DECORATE THE CUPCAKES
- 12 fresh raspberries
- Finely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F. Line a 12 hole cupcake/muffin tray with paper liners.
- Mix the self raising flour and the baking powder together in a large bowl.
- Place the butter, grated lemon zest, lemon curd and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream the mixture well for around 5-8 minutes or until very light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs to the mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition until well combined.
- Tip in the flour and mix until the batter is smooth. Finally, add the sour cream and give the batter a final mix.
- Using an ice cream scoop, divide the mixture between the cases, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until well risen, golden and springy to touch.
- Remove from the muffin tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream, beat the soft butter, icing sugar, lemon curd and lemon juice if using on high speed until very light and fluffy.
- When the cupcakes are completely cold, remove a piece of sponge from the middle of each cake using an apple corer or a sharp knife. Fill the holes with a teaspoon of raspberry jam. You can either place the piece back inside to "plug" the jam in or...eat them!
- Using a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip (or any kind you like) Pipe swirls of buttercream on top of each cupcake. Decorate with freshly grated lemon zest and a fresh raspberry.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 442Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 540mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 6g
Calories and Nutritional information is provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.
Love the sound of these but adding the caster sugar is missing from the method in the recipe card. I am assuming it is added in step 3, using the creaming method.
Hi Jayne, yes you’re right – I’ve just amended the recipe card. Sorry about that!