Irresistible Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Summers burst with vibrant flavors, and these delightful blueberry cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting shine like edible sunshine.
Soft, tender crumbs studded with juicy blueberries create a perfect balance of sweetness and tang.
Each bite promises a delicate dance of bright citrus and rich, creamy frosting that melts on your tongue.
Packed with fresh berries and zesty lemon notes, these cupcakes turn an ordinary afternoon into a celebration of seasonal delights.
The cream cheese frosting adds a luxurious, velvety finish that elevates these treats from simple to spectacular.
Simple to make and impossible to resist, these cupcakes are your ticket to dessert paradise.
Let’s find out this recipe and let the magic unfold.
Serving Blueberry Cupcakes with a Lemon Twist
Brunch Brilliance: Serve these cupcakes alongside fresh fruit salad and coffee for a delightful weekend morning treat.
Afternoon Tea Elegance: Pair with herbal tea and light sandwiches for a sophisticated gathering that will impress guests with its subtle citrus and sweet blueberry notes.
Summer Dessert Centerpiece: Display on a rustic wooden board garnished with fresh blueberries and lemon zest curls to create a stunning dessert presentation that captures seasonal charm.
Party Perfection: Create a beautiful cupcake tower at birthdays or baby showers, using the vibrant purple-blue cupcakes as a stunning focal point that delights both children and adults.
Storage Tips for Frosted Blueberry Cupcakes
Quick Refrigeration Strategy: Sealed in an airtight container, these blueberry cupcakes stay fresh for 3-4 days inside the refrigerator, maintaining their delightful texture and flavor.
Smart Freezing Technique: Wrap individual cupcakes separately in plastic wrap, then place inside freezer-safe containers. They'll remain delicious for up to one month without losing quality.
Room Temperature Timing: Keep unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for maximum 24 hours, ensuring optimal taste and soft crumb. Always cover with a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying.
Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare cupcake batter and refrigerate overnight, or bake and freeze unfrosted cupcakes 48 hours before your special event. Simply thaw and frost when ready to serve, maintaining fresh-baked excitement.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Calories: 302 kcal
Servings: 13
Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
For Dry Base Ingredients:
Cake Flour: Ensures tender, delicate cupcake texture with lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour.
Baking Powder, Baking Soda: Crucial leavening agents that help cupcakes rise and create light, airy structure.
Salt: Enhances overall flavor complexity and balances sweetness in the batter.
For Wet and Binding Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter, Granulated Sugar: Creates creamy, smooth base that provides rich flavor and helps incorporate air into batter.
Eggs: Binds ingredients together and adds moisture and structure to cupcakes.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, aromatic depth to the overall flavor profile.
For Flavor and Topping Ingredients:
Blueberries: Brings bursts of juicy sweetness and beautiful color throughout cupcakes, selecting fresh or frozen berries work perfectly.
Butter, Cream Cheese: Forms luxurious, silky frosting base with rich, creamy consistency.
Lemon Zest: Introduces bright, citrusy notes that complement blueberry's sweetness.
Confectioners' Sugar: Provides smooth, sweet finishing for frosting with perfect spreadable texture.
Tools for Baking Blueberry Cupcakes with Frosting
Electric Mixer: Essential for whipping butter, sugar, and creating smooth frosting.
Muffin Pan: Holds 12 baking cups for perfect cupcake shape.
Baking Cups: Prevents sticking and makes cupcakes easy to remove.
Sifter: Ensures dry ingredients are evenly mixed and lump-free.
Large Mixing Bowls: One for dry ingredients, another for wet mixture.
Spatula: Helps scrape bowl sides and fold blueberries gently.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Precise ingredient measurements are crucial.
Wire Cooling Rack: Allows cupcakes to cool evenly without soggy bottoms.
Toothpick: Checks cupcake doneness by testing internal moisture.
Zester: Grates fresh lemon zest for frosting flavor.
Piping Bag (optional): Creates beautiful frosting decorations.
How to Make Blueberry Cupcakes with Tangy Lemon Frosting
Oven Preparation Warm up your oven and get a muffin pan ready with cute paper liners.
Dry Ingredient Harmony Sift together all your powdery ingredients to create a smooth, lump-free foundation for your cupcakes.
Butter and Sugar Dance Cream butter and sugar until they transform into a fluffy, pale cloud that looks almost magical.
Batter Magic Gently mix in eggs and vanilla, then alternate adding flour and sour cream to create a silky smooth batter. Softly fold in those juicy blueberries.
Filling Cupcake Homes Carefully spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Baking Moment Slide the pan into the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting Creation Whip cream cheese and butter until they become light and dreamy. Blend in lemon zest, vanilla, and powdered sugar until the frosting is cloud-like and smooth. Chill for a bit to firm up.
Final Touch Generously swirl the tangy frosting onto each cooled cupcake, creating little works of delicious art.
Tips for Fluffy Cupcakes and Zesty Topping
Replace blueberries with raspberries or chopped strawberries for a delightful flavor twist that keeps the cupcakes exciting and seasonal.
Add an extra tablespoon of lemon zest to the frosting for a more intense citrus punch that brightens the entire dessert's flavor profile.
Bake cupcakes up to two days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature to save time during busy weeks.
Toss blueberries in a light dusting of flour before folding into batter to prevent them from sinking and ensure even distribution throughout each cupcake.
Garnish frosted cupcakes with fresh blueberries, candied lemon peel, or a light sprinkle of lemon zest for a professional bakery-style presentation that impresses guests.
Homemade blueberry cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting bring summer sweetness to dessert tables. Delicate crumb and tangy frosting create perfect balance, delighting palates with fresh fruit and creamy richness.
Ingredients
Scale
1 ¼ cups (296 ml) cake flour (not self-rising)
1 + ¼ cups (180 g) blueberries
2 large eggs
8 oz (226 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
3 ¼ cups (390 g) confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter (softened)
10 tbsps (142 g) butter (room temperature)
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare Workspace: Arrange oven rack in center position and preheat to 375°F. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl to eliminate potential lumps and ensure uniform texture.
Create Butter Mixture: Cream butter and sugar using electric mixer until light and airy, approximately 3 minutes. Integrate eggs individually, then blend in vanilla extract until thoroughly incorporated.
Develop Batter: Reduce mixer speed to low, gradually introducing dry ingredients and sour cream in alternating increments. Fold gently to maintain batter’s delicate structure, mixing only until ingredients are just combined.
Incorporate Blueberries: Delicately fold fresh blueberries throughout batter, ensuring even distribution without crushing the fruit.
Fill and Bake: Portion batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick emerges with minimal moist crumbs.
Cool Cupcakes: Allow cupcakes to rest in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
Prepare Frosting: Whip cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Introduce vanilla extract, lemon zest, and confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Finish and Serve: Chill frosting briefly to set consistency, then generously pipe or spread atop completely cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold ingredients to maintain a light, tender cupcake texture and avoid tough, dense results.
Distribute Blueberries Evenly: Toss fresh blueberries in a light coating of flour before folding into batter to prevent sinking and ensure consistent berry distribution.
Check Cupcake Doneness: Use the toothpick test – a clean toothpick with just a few moist crumbs indicates perfectly baked cupcakes, preventing dry or undercooked centers.
Chill Frosting Smartly: Refrigerate frosting briefly to achieve the ideal piping consistency, making it easier to create beautiful, stable frosting swirls on cupcakes.
Founder, Head Recipe Developer & Cuisine Specialist
Expertise
Recipe Development and Testing, Modern American and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education and Workshops
Education
Johnson & Wales University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern cooking techniques, kitchen management, and global cuisines.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
Program: Diploma in Pastry Arts
Focus: Specialized education in baking and pastry, emphasizing artisanal bread, confections, and plated desserts.
Michael Reynolds is the founder and head recipe creator at wd-50.com. With over 15 years of experience in the kitchen, he’s spent time working in top restaurants and now focuses on making great food easy for everyone at home.
Michael studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and later trained in pastry at the Auguste Escoffier School. He knows his way around both savory meals and sweet treats.
At wd-50.com, his goal is to help you feel confident in the kitchen, whether you’re trying something new or cooking a favorite dish. He loves using fresh ingredients and simple steps that still bring out big flavors.
Michael Reynolds
Founder, Head Recipe Developer & Cuisine Specialist
Expertise
Recipe Development and Testing, Modern American and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education and Workshops
Education
Johnson & Wales University
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
Michael Reynolds is the founder and head recipe creator at wd-50.com. With over 15 years of experience in the kitchen, he’s spent time working in top restaurants and now focuses on making great food easy for everyone at home.
Michael studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and later trained in pastry at the Auguste Escoffier School. He knows his way around both savory meals and sweet treats.
At wd-50.com, his goal is to help you feel confident in the kitchen, whether you’re trying something new or cooking a favorite dish. He loves using fresh ingredients and simple steps that still bring out big flavors.