Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
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Tangy lemon cupcakes bursting with sweet and juicy blueberries, topped with a creamy lemon buttercream.

This recipe is a longggg time coming. And I mean LONG. I spoke about these cupcakes 2 years ago in my Failed Recipes of 2015, and I said then that I needed to bring them to the blog soon. “Soon,” apparently, is a relative word in this case.
Although, I did semi-bring them to you last year, just without the blueberries, in the form of triple lemon cupcakes! But, that’s grasping at straws, really, because blueberry lemon cupcakes are in a league of their own, my friends.
And if I know anything about my readers, it’s that you love blueberry + lemon together, so today, we’re celebrating big time!

There is truly nothing fancy about these lemon cupcakes. They get all of their amazing flavor from the zest and juice of 2 lemons, and let me tell you, they are jam packed full of lemon flavor. The cupcakes are sweet, but they’re also nowhere near too sweet, so all of that tangy lemon shines right through every bite.

The sweetness and added flavor bursts definitely come through via fresh blueberries. You can certainly use frozen, just don’t thaw before use! A little toss in some flour will insure they stay afloat in the cupcakes and don’t all sink to the bottom.
Of course, a couple more bluebs on the tops of the filled cupcake liners never hurt anyone. In fact, they make for beautiful blueberry bursts all over the tops! Added top bluebs: highly encouraged.

The star of the show, in my opinion, is the creamy lemon buttercream that goes on top of these delectable blueberry lemon cuppies. It is sweet, tangy, smooth, and great for all sorts of confections (aka try it on white cake or OHHHHH strawberry cake!!!!!).
It’s very simple, and will require the zest and almost all of the juice of one more lemon. Two lemons in the cupcakes, one lemon in the buttercream.
Man, oh, man! We are in lemon business, aren’t we?!

Once you get a bite of these cupcakes, you’ll totally understand why the world can’t seem to ever get enough of blueberries + lemons. Are they the new “it” couple? It’s possible. And I wouldn’t blame the world for deeming that so.
Especially if cupcakes are involved, amirite?

Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 1 and 1/2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour divided; be sure to measure properly
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk any
- juice and zest of 2 lemons
- 3/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen– if frozen, do not thaw
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12 count cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium size bowl, toss together 1 and 1/2 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add each egg, one at a time, beating on medium-high speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and beat again until combined.
- Stir the lemon juice into the milk. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and turn the mixer speed to low. Add the flour in 2 additions, alternating with the milk/lemon juice. Remove bowl from mixer and stir with a spatula until everything is completely combined. Toss the blueberries in the remaining 1 Tablespoon of flour, then gently fold into the batter with a spatula.
- Spoon batter evenly into prepared cupcake liners (I prefer to use an ice cream scoop with a trigger) and top with a couple extra blueberries, if desired. Bake cupcakes 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
- In a medium size bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk or cream. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- For more buttercream troubleshooting tips, see my book, The Home Baker's Guide to Basic Buttercream.
ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES
- Frost the cupcakes using a large zip top bag with the corner snipped off or a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton #12 piping tip.
- Store cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature up to 4 days or in the refrigerator up to 6 days.
Notes
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I love yellow cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting!!
Vanilla bean!
Pumpkin spice cupcakes are my favorite!
DO I have to decide on just one? I love them all….
The above look pretty awesome. But the chocolate chip ones I made for Samuel’s birthday were up there on being my favorite.
My favorite cupcake (and cake!) is carrot cake… or basically anything with cream cheese frosting 😉 BUT I’m sure after a bite of these babes I’d have a new fav. they look INCREDIBLE!
I like chocolate with chocolate frosting.
Lemon cupcakes!
Flourless chocolate cupcakes are my absolute favorite!!
My Favorite cupcakes are yellow with chocolate frosting!
My favorite cupcake is white with white buttercream icing. Oh it makes me want one now!
My fave cupcake is chocolate everything!!!
Funfetti!!
Definitely funfetti but with a cream cheese buttercream!
Hey, Shelby! You’ve been randomly chosen as the winner of the goodie box! Please email me ASAP at freshaprilflours@gmail.com with your mailing address so we can get that out to you! Thanks!
I love a plain old chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting!
My favorite is a dark chocolate cupcake with a white frosting my mom used to make called Poor Man’s Whipped Cream.
These cupcakes look so good! (and are my mom’s favourite type of cupcake). As for me, I love classic chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting and chocolate ganache filling. Decedent and delicious!
My favorite cupcake is a spiced cake with a cream cheese frosting. So good in the fall!
I would definitely love your cupcakes as my favorite kind is any kind with lemon in it!! Berries are always a plus too!!!
Can I use this lemon recipe without the blueberries? I see the lemon curd one but do not want an over powering lemon flavor.
I made these for my daughters birthday and she loved them! I love this combo abs have tried various recipes but this one “takes the cake”! Delicious.
Thank you so much, Kristy!