Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

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Would it be weird if I told you I wanted to take a bath in this strawberry buttercream? I’m not joking. I want to fill an entire bath tub and soak in the awesomeness that this frosting is. It’s creamy, buttery, not overly rich, and it’s chocked full of real strawberry flavor.


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The cupcakes aren’t to shabby either. Perfectly dense without being heavy, not too sweet, and a bright flavor thanks to the heavy hand of meyer lemon zest. The cupcake recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe that doesn’t use any leavening. It was a first for me and I think I like it. I’m definitely used to a lighter cupcake but I’d make these again. Take it for what it’s worth and if you have already have a great citrus cupcake recipe, by all means use it.

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What’s really important here is the buttercream. It might be the best thing I’ve put into my mouth. Ever. At least in terms of frosting. I had a half cup or so leftover and I was sneaking to the fridge in the middle of the night to eat up right off my fingers. I think it would make Nigella proud. And as you can see from above, my baby liked it too. He kept saying, “moe, moe.” Which translates into something like “I WANT MORE!”

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Since making these cupcake last week, I’ve been racking my brain on what else I could use this buttercream on. So far I’ve come up with anything chocolate, sugar cookies, omelets, as a dipping sauce for grilled cheese sandwiches, as a main course, in a smoothie………..

You get my drift. Make the frosting. Just do it.

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

For the Cupcakes:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup + 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 heaping tablespoons meyer lemon zest (about 4 medium lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12-cup standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add meyer lemon zest. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla and orange extracts. Add eggs, two at a time, beating until until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, beating until completely incorporated after each. Divide batter evenly among 24 lined cups, filling each three-quarters full; tap pans on countertop once to distribute batter. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

For the Buttercream:

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/3 cup strawberry puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter and shortening until combined and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Frost cupcakes or take a bath. Your choice.