Limoncello Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting (Printable Version)

Light lemon cupcakes infused with Limoncello liqueur and topped with creamy frosting. Ideal for warm weather entertaining.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons
08 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup Limoncello liqueur
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Limoncello Frosting

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2-3 tablespoons Limoncello liqueur
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
17 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

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 until well combined.
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 until incorporated.
05 - Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with 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 butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add Limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. 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.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The cupcakes stay incredibly moist for days thanks to the Limoncello in the batter
  • That buttery Limoncello frosting tastes like sunshine on a spoon
  • People will assume you spent all day making them but they come together in under an hour
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here or your batter may curdle and the texture will suffer
  • Overmixing once the flour is added creates tough cupcakes, so stop as soon as everything comes together
  • Completely cool cupcakes before frosting or you will end up with a melty mess that slides right off
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, much easier to handle the whole lemon while it is still firm
  • Line your muffin tin with two paper liners if you are serving at a party because the citrus can sometimes make single liners feel a bit greasy

Return