Ingredients

  • FOR THE CUPCAKES:
  • 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup Plain Yogurt
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 whole Lemons, Zested
  • 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
  • FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
  • 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
  • 4 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Method

  • For the cupcakes:
  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two muffin pans with 18 cupcake paper liners. (Depending on how much you like to fill your cupcakes, you may end up with a couple more or less).
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, stir together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and oil. Add in dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  • Divide batter evenly into muffin pans. Bake for 18-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove pans from the oven and set on a wire rack. Cool cupcakes in pans for about 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and set on wire racks and cool completely before filling and frosting.
  • For the whipped lemon cream cheese frosting:
  • Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon juice and lemon extract.
  • Separately, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks (be sure not to over whip or it will curdle). Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Stir gently by hand until blended. Refrigerate for at least an hour, so it sets a little bit and can be piped.
  • Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa.