Lemon Basil Cupcakes
These Lemon Basil Cupcakes are light, fluffy, and full of fresh lemon flavor with a hint of basil. They’re perfect for any occasion and super easy to make!
Lemon Basil Cupcakes
If you're looking for a summer dessert or birthday dessert, these lemon basil cupcakes are just the thing!
They are easy to make, look amazing, and taste delicious! Plus, the flavor is a bit different than your normal dessert items, which is a great way to switch things up.
Ingredients for Lemon Basil Cupcakes
Egg whites: Whisk the egg whites separately until they form stiff peaks.
Lemon zest: Make sure to only grate the yellow part of the skin to avoid the bitter white pith.
Vegetable oil: Choose a neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil.
Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
Lemon extract: Used both in the cupcakes and the frosting.
Fresh lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
Cake flour: Creates a lighter, softer texture than all-purpose flour.
Baking powder
Salt
Fresh basil: Finely chop the basil. It's used in both the cupcakes and the frosting.
Butter: Used for the frosting. Make sure to pull out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes before starting to allow it to come to room temperature.
Powdered sugar: You can adjust the amount to reach your desired sweetness and consistency.
Vanilla extract: If possible use vanilla extract and not artificial vanilla flavoring.
How to Make Lemon Basil Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350F. Add cupcakes liners to a cupcake tin and set aside.
In a large bowl, add egg whites and lemon zest.
Then, add the buttermilk, oil, lemon extract, and lemon juice. Whisk everything together for about a minute.
Next, add the sugar and keep whisking until the sugar is completely dissolved.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add this mixture to the large bowl with the liquids.
Stir gently until everything is combined, but be careful not to overmix.
Gently fold in the chopped basil. Remember, crushed basil can bruise and turn black, so fold it in right after chopping.
Pour a generous ¼ cup of batter into each liner of a cupcake tin, filling them about ¾ full.
Place the tin in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Once done, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely before adding frosting.
To prepare the frosting, put the butter in a large bowl.
Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter for 1 minute.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until it is fully incorporated.
Then, add the extracts, lemon juice, and chopped basil, and mix everything together.
Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to get your desired frosting consistency.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with your chosen tip and pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.
For an optional garnish, add lemon slices and fresh basil leaves on top.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Best Lemon Basil Cupcakes
Here are some tips for making these the best cupcakes:
Use Fresh Lemons: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest give the cupcakes a stronger lemon flavor.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure eggs, buttermilk, and butter are at room temperature. It makes mixing easier and the batter smoother.
Pre-Zest Your Lemons: Zest your lemons before juicing them. It’s hard to zest a juiced lemon!
Quick Basil Chopping: Freeze the basil leaves for about 10 minutes before chopping them. This makes it easier to cut and less likely to bruise.
Don't Overmix: Stir the batter just until combined. Overmixing can make the cupcakes tough.
Use a Cookie Scoop: A cookie scoop helps you get uniform-sized cupcakes and prevents making a mess when filling cupcake liners.
Cool Before Frosting: Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting and sliding off.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have any leftover you can store them in airtight containers. If you don't have airtight containers, you can put plastic wrap over them - just stick some toothpicks in them to help the plastic wrap stay above the frosting.
You can keep the cupcakes at room temperature for up to two days.
If you want them to last longer, you can put them in the fridge, and they will stay fresh for up to a week.
Make sure to "PIN IT" for later and follow Flour and Aprons on Pinterest for all the latest delicious recipes!
Lemon Basil Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
For the frosting:
- 2 cups butter softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon fresh basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners. You'll be making about 18 cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, place the egg whites and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk, oil, lemon extract and lemon juice and whisk vigorously for about a minute. Add in the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry flour mix to the liquid and whisk gently until combined. Do not overmix!
- Add in the chopped basil and stir. *Crushed basil will bruise easily and turn black, so best to fold in the basil right after chopping.
- Pour a generous ¼ cup of batter into a lined cupcake tin, filling each one about ¾ full.
- Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Remove and let cool fully before frosting.
Frosting
- Add butter in a large bowl and using an electric mixer (or stand mixer) beat the butter for 1 minute.
- Add in the powdered sugar in small amounts until incorporated. Add in the extracts, juice and chopped basil and mix. You may need to adjust how much powdered sugar is added depending on desired consistency. Place in a piping bag with a frosting tip of choice and pipe frosting on each cupcake.
- Add in the extracts, juice and chopped basil and mix. You may need to adjust how much powdered sugar is added depending on desired consistency.
- Place in a piping bag with a frosting tip of choice and pipe frosting on each cupcake.
- *Optional garnish with lemon slices and fresh basil leaves!
