There’s something so bright and refreshing about the combination of zesty lemon and sweet raspberries—it just screams sunshine and happiness! Whether you’re baking for an Easter party, a baby shower, or just to treat yourself, these lemon raspberry cupcakes are the perfect easy yet impressive dessert. And the best part? We’re keeping it super simple by starting with a box cake mix and elevating it with fresh flavors. No one will ever guess these aren’t made from scratch!
I love using a box mix as a base because it’s reliable, convenient, and always turns out moist and fluffy. But with a few easy tweaks, you can take it to bakery-level deliciousness. Paired with a creamy, tangy raspberry frosting, these cupcakes are bound to be a hit at any gathering. Ready to make raspberry lemon cupcakes easy and totally irresistible? Let’s get baking!
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Ingredients for Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
These lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting come together with just a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Lemon Cupcakes:
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 cup buttermilk (replaces water for extra moisture)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of one lemon (optional, for extra zing)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Raspberry Puree:
- 1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water use slightly less if using frozen raspberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
For the Raspberry Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Raspberry puree (from above, strained from seeds)
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk, to adjust consistency)
How to Make Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes Easy
Step 1: Prepare the Raspberry Puree for the Frosting
1. Place all the puree ingredients in a pot over medium-low heat
2. Stir constantly, breaking up the raspberries while you stir. You want the mixture to come to an “almost boil” without boiling too much.
3. Keep stirring until almost all the liquid has evaporated and your puree has thickened to have about the consistency of pancake syrup.
4. Remove puree from the heat and let it cool a bit. You don’t have to let it cool completely (The next step will actually be a little easier if the puree is still warm).
5. Place a strainer over an empty bowl. Pour the raspberry puree into the strainer. Using the back of a spoon, press the raspberry puree through the strainer and into the bowl beneath. This step takes some time! However, you want to push as much liquid through the strainer as possible, leaving behind the raspberry seeds.
6. Dispose of the seeds left in the strainer and set your liquid raspberry puree aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Lemon Cupcake Batter
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Divide the batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
4. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Raspberry Frosting
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating on low speed until incorporated.
3. Pour in the raspberry puree and mix until the frosting turns a beautiful pink color and the raspberry is evenly spread throughout.
4. Add heavy cream or milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency.
5. Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes to make the frosting extra fluffy.
Step 3: Decorate the Cupcakes
1. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. I like the Wilton 1M tip for cupcakes.
2. Pipe a generous swirl of raspberry frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
A note about quantity of cupcakes: Most cake mixes are designed to give you 24 cupcakes. I usually only ever get 16-20, depending on the brand I use. Depending on how generous you are with your frosting, you may have more cupcakes than you do frosting at the end. I usually have only one leftover cupcake that I just call a “muffin” and save for my breakfast the next day.
Pro Tips for the Best Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Use fresh raspberries for the best flavor! If using frozen, make sure to thaw and drain them first to avoid extra moisture in the batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter—gentle folding will keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Room temperature ingredients work best- Ensure eggs, butter, and buttermilk are at room temperature for a smooth, even batter and frosting. Now, don’t leave them sitting out all day. However, if you can take them out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before you have to start baking, that will make a huge difference. I always let my butter for frosting sit out about 2 hours before making frosting.
- Use a toothpick to test for doneness. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cupcakes are ready.
- Chill the frosting for 15 minutes before piping for cleaner swirls. Also, if you find your frosting is still too runny, you can always beat in a little extra powdered sugar about ¼ cup at a time.
FAQs
Q: Can I use white cake mix instead of lemon?
A: Yes! Just add extra lemon zest and juice to infuse that citrusy flavor.
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! The cupcakes can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Frost them the day you plan to serve for the freshest taste.
Q: Can I use store-bought frosting?
A: You can, but I highly recommend making the homemade raspberry frosting. I always say that the frosting makes the dessert. I’m okay with using cake mixes for most of my recipes and hardly anyone can tell that my cakes and cupcakes come from box mixes because of the extra flavor the homemade frosting gives things. If you have to do one thing homemade, I 1,000% recommend it be the frosting.
Q: Can I use melted butter instead of oil in my cupcakes?
A: You could definitely go with melted butter, and I almost did myself! However, I went with oil in the end for 2 reasons: Firstly, it usually maintains moisture better and gets spread more evenly throughout your cupcake batter. Whereas butter solidifies (especially if you use cold eggs and buttermilk) and then you have pockets of solidified butter throughout your batter instead of consistent moisture. Also, because lemon raspberry is such a light, sunshine-y flavor, I didn’t want as dense a flavor as the kind you might get with butter. Oil keeps things more light and breezy in texture and flavor.
These raspberry lemon cupcakes are the perfect easy, bright, and fruity treat for any occasion. Whether you’re whipping them up for a summer picnic, a birthday, or just a sweet craving, they’re sure to be a hit. And thanks to the boxed cake mix shortcut, you can enjoy these lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting without all the fuss!
So, grab your ingredients and have fun baking up a batch of these bakery-style cupcakes in no time! And don’t forget to let me know how it went—I’d love to hear about your baking fun times. 😊 Happy baking!
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Lemon Cupcakes
- 1 box lemon cake mix I like Duncan Hines, but any brand will work
- 1 cup buttermilk Use buttermilk instead of whatever amount of water your cake mix calls for(It's usually 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil Or whatever amount your cake mix calls for
- 3 eggs
- Zest of on lemon optional, for extra flavor
- 1 tsp vanilla
Raspberry Puree
- 1 cup fresh raspberries Frozen can work in a pinch, about 6 oz if you go by weight
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water Use slightly less if using frozen raspberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar Can adjust amount a bit for consistency of frosting
- Raspberry puree From above, strained from seeds
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream (or milk) To adjust for consistency
Instructions
Make Raspberry Puree
- Place all the puree ingredients in a pot over medium-low heat
- Stir constantly, breaking up the raspberries while you stir. You want the mixture to come to an "almost boil" without boiling too much.
- Keep stirring until almost all the liquid has evaporated and your puree has thickened to have about the consistency of pancake syrup.
- Remove puree from the heat and let it cool. You don't have to let it cool completely (The next step will actually be a little easier if the puree is still warm).
- Place a strainer over an empty bowl. Pour the raspberry puree into the strainer. Using the back of a spoon, press the raspberry puree through the strainer and into the bowl beneath. This step takes some time! However, you want to push as much liquid through the strainer as possible, leaving behind the raspberry seeds.
- Dispose of the seeds left in the strainer and set your liquid raspberry puree aside.
Make Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating on low speed until incorporated.
- Pour in the raspberry puree and mix until the frosting turns a beautiful pink color and the raspberry is evenly spread throughout.
- Add heavy cream or milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency.
- Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes to make the frosting extra fluffy.
Decorate Cupcakes
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. I like the Wilton 1M tip for cupcakes.
- Pipe a generous swirl of raspberry frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
