Limoncello Cupcakes (Printable)

Light, moist lemon cupcakes infused with Limoncello liqueur and topped with creamy frosting.

# What you'll need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest
08 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
09 - ¼ cup Limoncello liqueur
10 - ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Limoncello Frosting

12 - ½ 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 blended.
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.
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. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add Limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
09 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost with Limoncello frosting. Decorate with extra lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crumb stays incredibly moist thanks to that splash of liqueur, and the lemon flavor actually deepens overnight instead of fading away
  • People think you fussed all day, but the whole thing comes together in about 40 minutes with ingredients you probably already have
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter makes tough cupcakes, the second that flour disappears stop mixing and walk away
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable, cold butter creates curdled batter that never bakes up quite right
  • These actually taste better the next day when the Limoncello has time to really settle into the crumb
03 -
  • Roll the lemons on your counter before zesting, you'll get way more aromatic oil out of the peel
  • If your frosting feels too stiff, add another teaspoon of Limoncello instead of milk, it keeps the flavor consistent
  • Chill your frosted cupcakes for 15 minutes before transporting, the frosting sets up and wont smudge as easily

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