These lemon poppy seed cupcakes are a lemon lover's dream! Made with a perfectly sweet and light angel food cake, they are bursting with fresh lemon flavor and topped with a refreshing whipped cream frosting.
These lemon poppy seed cupcakes have become my newest obsession! They are always on the top of my baking list in the citrus season and springtime.
I decided to make this recipe different from other lemon cupcake recipes and use an angel food cake batter as the base!
They have a cloud-like crumb, airy texture, and vibrant lemon flavor that beats any other cupcake recipe.
If you are a huge lemon lover like I am, you are going to love these delicious lemon cupcakes!
For more lemon recipes, try Lemon Bar Cookies, Coconut Lemon Raspberry Muffins, and Strawberry Lemon Blondies.
Jump to:
why you'll love this recipe
- Angel food cake: Instead of a regular cake batter like most recipes, this one is made with a cloud-like angel food cake batter!
- Lemon cupcakes: These bright and citrusy lemon-flavored cupcakes are a lemon lover's dream.
- Easy recipe: This recipe is quick and easy to make!
- Versatile: You can easily make the batter into a sheet cake or in a tube pan for feeding more people!
ingredient notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
- Egg whites: You should only use fresh egg whites because carton ones will not whip up correctly.
- Cake flour: Cake flour is recommended for this recipe but can be substituted with all-purpose four instead.
- Lemon extract: Just a bit of lemon extract to not interfere with the meringue. You can substitute the lemon for any other extract flavor!
recipe instructions
Here is how to make these lemon cupcakes! You will need a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to whisk the egg whites into a meringue. You will also need a cupcake pan and liners.
STEP ONE: Whisk the egg whites. In a stand mixing bowl, add the room-temperature egg whites. Begin mixing on low until the egg whites get white and foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Sprinkle in the sugar by the spoonful while the mixer is running and then increase the speed to medium until the whites hold a medium peak.
STEP TWO: Fold in the dry ingredients. Sift a third of the all-purpose flour and powdered sugar into the bowl of egg whites. Fold with a spatula gently to combine it into the whites.
STEP THREE: Add the flavors. Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and add the lemon zest, poppy seeds, salt, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.
STEP FOUR: Continue folding until there are no more dry spots and the batter is well combined.
STEP FIVE: Bake the cupcakes. Let the batter sit for 20 minutes. Then fill the cupcake liners to the top with the batter. Bake them for 25 minutes, or until the tops are a light brown and spring back when touched. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale: If you do not own a scale, make sure to spoon-measure your flour. This means using a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup.
- Use room temperature egg whites: Place the egg whites in a mason jar and seal the top. Submerge the jar in a bowl of hot tap water for 5-10 minutes until the egg whites are warm.
- Don't over-mix the meringue: Mixing the egg whites past a medium peak will result in denser cupcakes.
- Mix the batter gently: If you mix it too vigorously, the air in the batter will deflate and the cupcakes will bake flat and dense.
storage & freezing
- Refrigerator: Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: They will stay fresh for 4-6 months if stored in a sealed container.
variations
- Frosting: Try other frosting options like cream cheese buttercream, vanilla buttercream, or lemon buttercream!
- Toppings: I LOVE topping these with fresh berries or lemon curd in the spring and summertime for extra color and freshness!
- Sheet cake: You can bake the batter in a square 8x8 baking pan until the top looks light brown and it springs back when touched!
- Angel food cake: You can double this recipe and bake it in a standard angel food tube pan at the same temperature for about 40-50 minutes.
faqs
Absolutely! You could also add more or less to your liking!
I have never tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but I would love to hear how it turns out!
Yes! Feel free to swap the lemon extract for almond, or cherry, or add extra vanilla!
If the whipped cream looks clumpy, it's most likely overwhipped. Don't worry, you can just add a little bit more fresh heavy cream to it to bring it back to a smooth stiff peak consistency.
more cake recipes to try
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature 150 grams
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 60 grams
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cake flour or all-purpose flour 60 grams
- 1 cup powdered sugar 100 grams
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 155 grams
- ½ cup powdered sugar 50 grams
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon corn starch 5 grams
Instructions
Make the Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350F/177 C. Grab a muffin or cupcake pan and line it with 6 tall/large cupcake liners.
- In a stand mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature egg whites on low for 2-3 minutes, until the egg whites are white and foamy, then add the cream of tartar.4 large egg whites, room temperature, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Start sprinkling in the sugar by the spoonful, then increase the mixer speed to medium and keep whisking until medium peaks, about 3-4 minutes.¼ cup granulated sugar
- Sift about ⅓ of the flour and powdered sugar into the bowl of whites and gently fold with a spatula to combine. Sift in the rest of the dries and add the lemon zest, poppy seeds, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Fold to combine everything together.½ teaspoon lemon extract, ½ cup cake flour or all-purpose flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 lemon, zested, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
- Fill the cupcake liners to the top with the batter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and spring back when touched.
- Let the cupcake pan cool on a wire rack until the cupcakes are completely cool.
Making the Whipped Cream
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and corn starch until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoon corn starch
- Fit a large piping bag or a cut corner of a plastic bag with a large 1M piping tip and frost the tops of the cupcakes. Sprinkle with extra lemon zest, poppy seeds, and a thin slice of lemon if desired!
Notes
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale: Using a kitchen scale is always recommended when baking to ensure consistent results! If you do not own a scale, make sure to spoon measure your flour. This means using a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Use room temperature egg whites: Place the egg whites in a mason jar and seal the top. Submerge the jar in a bowl of hot tap water for 5-10 minutes until the egg whites are warm.
- Don't over mix the meringue: Mixing the egg whites past a medium peak will result in denser cupcakes.
- Mix the batter gently: If you mix it too vigorously, you will deflate the air in the batter and your cupcakes won't rise.
- Dark vs. light baking pans: Baking pans conduct heat differently depending on what color the pan is. If your pan is dark or black you should decrease the heat to 325 F/163 C.
storage & freezing
- Refrigerator: Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: They will stay fresh for 4-6 months if stored in a sealed container.
variations
- Frosting: These angel food cupcakes are so versatile and would be amazing with other frosting options like cream cheese, vanilla, or lemon buttercream!
- Toppings: I LOVE topping these with fresh berries or lemon curd in the spring and summer time for extra color and freshness!
- Sheet cake: This recipe can be baked in an 8x8 baking pan at the same temperature until the top looks light brown and the top springs back when touched.
- Angel food cake: You can double this recipe and bake it in a standard angel food cake pan at the same temperature for about 40-50 minutes.
recipe notes
- Yield: This recipe yields about 9-10 standard sized cupcakes!
- Make ahead: I do not recommend making the batter ahead of baking as the air in the batter will deflate after a few hours.
- Let the batter rest: Letting the batter rest for 20 minutes before baking will allow more structure in the cupcake and will keep them from deflating after they are baked!
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Mandy says
The lemon flavor was perfect and not too strong. I made this as a sheet cake instead and it was phenomenal!
cambreabakes says
Hi Mandy! I love that you turned it into a sheet cake, I will be trying that! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! Best, Cambrea
Sophia says
This recipe is my new go-to for spring baking! The cake is light, fluffy, lemony perfection — and don’t even get me started on the whipped cream. I could easily eat a whole bowl of that by itself! 10/10, I would give it a million stars if I could.