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lemon raspberry cupcakes | confections of a dietitian

Springtime around here means rain, rain and more rain. Even on the days we don’t think it’s going to rain, it probably will. That being said, we need something bright and cheery to make up for it, like cupcakes! Lemon raspberry cupcakes to be exact. There’s just something about the pretty pastel colors and tart yet sweet flavors that are perfect for this dreary time of year. I made these cupcakes as a special request for the first time a couple weeks ago and still can’t stop thinking about them. They were that good!

lemon raspberry cupcakes | confections of a dietitian           lemon raspberry cupcakes | confections of a dietitian

The cupcake base is a fluffy, white cake with bits of lemon zest sprinkled throughout and lemon juice for extra lemon flavor. The cake is light and sweet, but still has a firm enough crumb to hold it’s own again the frosting and filling. Rather than just using a raspberry puree, which I thought might be too tart, I made a thicker, sweeter filling. It balances well with the tartness of the berries and lemons while also being just runny enough to make for a fun surprise when you bite into the cupcake. Let’s not forget about the best part of this trio, the lemon cream cheese frosting. Originally, these were going to have lemon buttercream but I was also considering cream cheese frosting. I realized I should just combine the two to make lemon cream cheese frosting and I’m so glad I did. This frosting is delicious! There’s something about the tart lemon, tangy cream cheese and sweet frosting that makes the combination with the cupcake and filling just divine. It’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet!

lemon raspberry cupcakes | confections of a dietitian

Isn’t that filling just the perfect pop of color? No matter how dreary the weather is, these cupcakes will surely brighten your day. Enjoy!