Limoncello Cupcakes (Cake Mix)
These moist Limoncello Cupcakes are so delicious, and are topped with swirls of Limoncello Whipped Cream Cheese frosting. These are just heavenly, and the perfect dessert for entertaining. Nobody would guess that they start with a mix!
We love Limoncello Desserts in the summertime, and have made a scratch Limoncello Cake as well as an easy Limoncello Bundt Cake from cake mix for our recipes section. We're so happy to have another fun option to add to our collection of "boozy cakes"!
Table of Contents
What is Limoncello?
Limoncello is an Italian Lemon Liqueur which is produced primarily in Southern Italy along the Amalfi coast.
Amalfi lemons are large, uniquely juicy, sweet, and fragrant.
The liqueur is made by steeping lemon zest in ethanol or vodka to release the oils from the lemon zest, which is then combined with simple syrup.
Is the Limoncello flavor of the Cupcakes Strong?
No, the cupcakes have a very light Limoncello flavor even though we've used it in the cake batter as well as the frosting. You can give it a little boost by brushing a bit of Limoncello onto the tops of the freshly baked cupcakes if you'd like!
How to Make Limoncello Cupcakes from Cake Mix
We can't wait for you to try this recipe. As with any of our doctored cake mix cakes, you will ignore the instructions on the back of the box and replace with our recipe as listed below.
Among other ingredients, this cake has added richness from sour cream and a really nice texture from the addition of lemon pudding mix. It also has add-ins like lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract for an added boost of lemon flavor. The acidity of the lemon juice also makes for an even softer crumb (just as when buttermilk is added to cake recipes like our buttermilk pound cake).
The Limoncello in the recipe is very light. If you'd like an added boost of Limoncello flavor, you can brush a bit of the liqueur onto the freshly baked cupcakes using a pastry brush.
Limoncello Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
We love whipped cream cheese frostings! Today's Limoncello version is based on our lemon whipped cream cheese frosting recipe from our lemon sour cream cupcakes.
First, we whipped up our cream (use heavy whipped cream or heavy whipping cream as it is more stable thanks to the additional fat content). Then, we folded it into a mixture of softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and flavorings and Limoncello.
The cream cheese mixture makes the whipped cream even more stable and adds a really nice richness too (without being overpowering or heavy). You'll want to swirl your cupcakes high with this frosting- it is so good! You could even use it as a filling if you'd like.
We swirled our cupcakes using a large star piping tip and sprinkled some additional lemon zest on top.
Thanks so much for stopping by today! We hope that you enjoy these Limoncello Cupcakes as much as we have. Make sure to check out our full section of cake and cupcake recipes!
More Lemony Recipes
We have many more lemon cakes for you to try as well! Some our favorites are our Lemon Pound Cake, Lemon Velvet Cake, Lemon Buttermilk Cake, and Lemon Cake from Scratch. We also have a popular Lemon Cake from Cake Mix.
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Limoncello Cupcakes (from Cake Mix)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 Box White Cake Mix We used Duncan Hines Classic White Perfectly Moist, 15.25 oz
- 1 Small Package 3.4 oz/96g Instant Lemon Pudding Mix (don't prepare the pudding)
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour (60g)
- ½ cup White Sugar (100g)
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil (we use Canola oil) (108g)
- ½ cup Limoncello (121g)
- 1 cup Sour Cream (227g)
- ½ cup Milk (We use whole or 2% fat)
- Juice and Zest from one Lemon (Approx. ¼ cup lemon juice)
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract
For the Limoncello Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened full fat
- 1¼ cup powdered sugar (measure then sift)
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream (348g)
- 1 Tablespoon Limoncello (18g)
- zest of one lemon adjust amount to your liking
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract optional (4g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line your cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners.
- Zest and Squeeze the juice from one lemon. (We used ¼ cup juice- if you have less, make up the difference with a bit of water). Double check that the juice is free of lemon seeds. Set aside.
- Sift the cake mix into your mixing bowl. Add the flour, lemon pudding mix, and sugar and combine.
- Add all of the other ingredients to the bowl: zest and juice of one lemon, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, Limoncello, lemon extract, and milk.
- Mix at low speed for about ten seconds to incorporate before increasing to medium speed for two minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the paper lined cupcake pans. There will be approx. ¼ cup batter per cupcake. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. **Baking times can vary- peek in as the end time approaches.
- Optional: for more Limoncello flavor, lightly brush the tops of the freshly baked cupcakes with Limoncello, using a pastry brush.
For the Limoncello Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- We prefer to make the frosting once the cupcakes are ready for frosting (completely cooled).
- Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream. Use the whisk attachment if using a stand mixer, or beaters on your hand mixer.
- Beat the cream on medium high to high speed until stiff peaks form. You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak.
- Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step. In another bowl combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, Limoncello, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Mix until very smooth. (If using coloring gel, you can add at any time.)
- Gently fold/mix the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture (or vice versa)- you can do this step with a spatula as we did today, or you can use a mixer on the lowest speed. Mix just until combined. Pipe onto your cooled cupcakes (or refrigerate the frosting until ready to decorate).
- We frosted our cooled cupcakes using a disposable piping bag fitted with a 1M piping tip. Decorate however you like (although we find piping to be the easiest way to frost cupcakes!) Refrigerate the cupcakes in an airtight container, under a cake dome, or in a sealed bakery box until within an hour of serving. Makes about 24 cupcakes.