Easy Limoncello Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
These Limoncello cupcakes are a delightful twist on the classic lemon cupcakes. The recipe is simple and easy to follow, making it perfect for experienced bakers and beginners.
The cupcakes are made using a boxed lemon cake mix, which is combined with water, unsalted butter instead of oil, and eggs to create a light and fluffy batter. The cupcakes are baked until they’re perfectly golden and fluffy.
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Heaven knows how much I love lemon, if you want another tasty cake recipe try this Strawberry Lemonade Pound Cake.
Limoncello Cupcakes Ingredients
Thankfully, the ingredients for these lemon shooter cupcakes are basic.
The cake itself is a lemon cake mix. You can use a homemade recipe if you prefer but since I’m a frosting girl, we’re going to take the easy road where we can and take a little time for homemade frosting.
Here’s what you’ll need for these boozy cupcakes:
That’s it. You’ll obviously need water for the liquid, or milk if you want the batter to be a little richer.
Easy Lemon Frosting Ingredients
The lemon buttercream frosting is where these cupcakes truly shine. It’s whipped until it’s light and fluffy, with stiff peaks.
- Unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Yellow sanding sugar sprinkles.
Optional but delicious: you can turn these into blueberry limoncello cupcakes by drizzling this blueberry syrup over top of the cupcakes once they’re frosted.
Tools you’ll need
Here’s what you’ll need to make the limoncello cupcakes recipe.
Limoncello Pipettes
Fill a pipette with limoncello or lemon vodka to add a boozy spin to the cupcakes.
Place the pipettes in the frosting. That way the guests can either squeeze it into the frosting or cake or discard it if they don’t want it.
FAQs about Limoncello Cupcakes
More Cake and Cake Mix Recipes
In addition to this recipe for limoncello cupcakes, here are a few more desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Cake Mix Donuts
- Margarita Cake Recipe
- Lemon Poke Cake (another delicious lemon dessert)
Enjoy this summer dessert recipe!
Limoncello Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box of Lemon Cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
For The Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 – 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large lemon zested
- 1 cup yellow sanding sugar sprinkles
- 2 cups Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka
- Lemon Wedges for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, mix all the ingredients until well combined.
- Scoop the batter into cupcake liners until they're 3/4 full.
- Bake for approximately 19 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting or else the lemon icing will melt.
For the Frosting
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together. Start with a slow speed so the sugar doesn't make a mess and then increase the speed to high. Beat for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. You may have to scrape the bowl.
- Add the cream and lemon juice. Start with 3 tablespoons of cream and check for consistency. If you want it thicker for piping keep it at that, if you want it thinner then use more. Beat for another 3-4 minutes on high. Continue scraping the bowl if needed.
- Using a medium ice cream scooper, place a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cupcake.
- Dip the frosting into yellow sugar sand for an added touch of color and texture.
- Spoon the remainder of the frosting into a piping bag with whatever tip you prefer and swirl it onto the cupcakes.
- Fill the mini pipettes with lemon vodka and insert them into the frosting on each cupcake.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge.
