Lemon raspberry cupcakes are made from scratch with a moist, tender crumb and bright, fresh flavor. These cupcakes are packed with lemon zest and juice and studded with raspberries in the batter, then finished with a creamy lemon-raspberry buttercream. They’re perfect for spring and summer gatherings — and because the recipe uses frozen raspberries, you can make them year-round when you crave a sunny, fruity treat.
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As a busy mama and self-taught baker, I’ve been making cupcakes for decades. Below you’ll find tips and clear instructions to help you bake cupcakes that look as good as they taste. These lemon raspberry cupcakes share flavor profiles with other favorites like lemon raspberry bars and raspberry almond cake, delivering bright citrus notes balanced by sweet-tart raspberries.
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💗 what makes this cupcake recipe stand out
These are bakery-quality cupcakes made entirely from scratch. The batter is loaded with fresh lemon zest and juice and studded with raspberries for bursts of fruit throughout. A swirl of lemon-raspberry buttercream tops each cupcake for a lovely balance of sweet and tangy.
🍋 ingredient notes
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient list and baking directions.
Lemons — Fresh lemons are best for both zest and juice. Lemon zest adds concentrated citrus flavor without extra liquid. Typically one medium-large lemon yields about 1 tablespoon zest and 2–3 tablespoons juice.
Raspberries — Use frozen raspberries chopped into small pieces and kept frozen until added to the batter. Frozen berries hold together better during mixing than fresh berries will.
Raspberry jam — Seedless jam works well in the buttercream and is what the recipe uses for ease and availability. If you don’t mind seeds, a jam with seeds is fine too.
Eggs — Use two large egg whites. Separate eggs while cold, then bring the whites to room temperature before using for best results.
🥣 how to make
Chop the frozen raspberries into small pieces and return them to the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with liners.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder and set aside.
Beat the room-temperature butter, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
Beat in the egg whites and vanilla on medium until incorporated. If the mixture looks slightly curdled after adding lemon juice accidentally, that’s okay — it will come together once flour and liquids are added.
On low speed, add half the flour mixture and mix until barely combined. Still on low, slowly add the buttermilk and lemon juice. Add the remaining flour mixture (reserve about 1 tablespoon) and mix just until incorporated.
Toss the chopped frozen raspberries with the reserved tablespoon of flour, then gently fold them into the batter. Fold carefully to avoid overmixing.
Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into each liner, filling them roughly 2/3 to 3/4 full so the cupcakes bake evenly.
Bake 18–20 minutes, or until a tester comes out mostly clean. These cupcakes tend to bake with a flatter top. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
If you’d like step-by-step photos for the lemon-raspberry buttercream, refer to visual guides in related cupcake posts.
👩🏻🍳 tips for the best from scratch cupcakes
- Use room-temperature ingredients — Butter, buttermilk and egg whites should be at room temperature for best texture. Depending on your kitchen, bring them out 2–3 hours before baking.
- Keep raspberries frozen until use — Chop them small and return them to the freezer until it’s time to fold them into the batter.
- Weigh ingredients when possible for accuracy, especially flour and sugar.
- Don’t overmix — Overmixing develops gluten and yields dense cupcakes. Mix only until ingredients are incorporated.
- Use a scoop for even portions so cupcakes bake uniformly.
- Don’t overbake — Remove cupcakes when a tester has a few moist crumbs for a tender crumb.
🫙 how to store
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before serving. Cupcakes taste best at room temperature — let them sit out 20–30 minutes before serving.
If you make these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, please share a photo and tag @twosugarbugs on Instagram — it’s wonderful to see your creations!
If you make this recipe (or any recipe from Two Sugar Bugs), please come back and leave a review and a star rating. I read every comment and love hearing from you!
📖 recipe
From Scratch Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Lemon raspberry cupcakes made from scratch with a moist crumb and bright citrus flavor, finished with lemon-raspberry buttercream. Use weight (metric) measurements when available for best accuracy.
30 minutes
20 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
lemon raspberry cupcakes
- ¾ cup frozen raspberries (105g)
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (141g)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (24g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (50g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature (120mL)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (30mL)
raspberry lemon buttercream
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar (210g)
- ¼ cup raspberry jam (about 80g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15mL)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (30mL)
Instructions
- Chop the frozen raspberries (¾ cup/105g) into small pieces and return them to the freezer.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with liners.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour (1 cup + 2 tablespoons/141g), cornstarch (3 tablespoons/24g) and baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons). Set aside.
- Beat the butter (½ cup/113g), kosher salt (½ teaspoon), granulated sugar (½ cup/100g), brown sugar (¼ cup/50g) and lemon zest (1 ½ teaspoons) on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the egg whites (2 large) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) on medium until combined, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture and mix until barely combined. Slowly add the buttermilk (½ cup/120mL) and lemon juice (2 tablespoons/30mL). Add the remaining flour mixture, reserving about 1 tablespoon. Toss the reserved flour with the frozen raspberries and gently fold into the batter without overmixing.
- Scoop about ¼ cup batter into each liner, filling them about ⅔–¾ full.
- Bake 18–20 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean.
- Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- For the buttercream: Beat the butter (¾ cup/170g) and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) on high for about 5 minutes, scraping halfway through.
- Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (120g), half the jam (about half of ¼ cup/80g), vanilla (1 teaspoon), lemon zest (1 ½ teaspoons) and lemon juice (1 tablespoon/15mL). Mix on low until combined, then increase speed to incorporate fully.
- Stop and scrape the bowl, then add the remaining confectioners’ sugar (¾ cup/90g), remaining jam and heavy cream (2 tablespoons/30mL). Mix on low, then beat on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. A Wilton 2M tip creates a classic swirl; a spoon or spatula also works well.
Notes
*One medium-large lemon should provide the zest and juice needed for both cupcake and buttercream.
**Use seedless raspberry jam if you prefer a smooth buttercream. Jam weights vary by brand; ~80g is a good guideline.
Buttermilk can be substituted with 1%, 2%, whole milk or kefir. To make a quick buttermilk substitute, add 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice to the measuring cup and fill to ½ cup with milk; let stand about an hour.
Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day or refrigerated for up to 5 days. They freeze well for 2–3 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 332Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 32gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on brands and portion sizes.