I still remember the first time I tried making gluten-free cupcakes. I was hosting a backyard barbecue, and one of my friends had celiac disease. I didn’t want her to miss out on dessert, so I got to work experimenting.
What came out of the oven was pure sunshine—fluffy lemon cupcakes with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. The best part? No one even noticed they were gluten-free.
If you love desserts that are light, citrusy, and just the right amount of sweet, these cupcakes are for you. They’re made with simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store, and they don’t taste like cardboard (because we all know some gluten-free treats do).
Whether you’re gluten-free or just love a good lemony dessert, these cupcakes will be your new go-to.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Soft, fluffy, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, these gluten-free cupcakes are topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup milk (or unsweetened almond milk for dairy-free)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes with a hand mixer.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix. Pour in the milk, mix again, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined—don’t overmix!
Fill cupcake liners about ¾ full and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cupcakes cool, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with a piping bag or a simple butter knife.
Notes
For best results, use fresh lemons for both the zest and juice. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 275 kcal
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
