Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Name: Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 1 -15.25 ounce lemon cake mix; 1 - 3.4 ounce instant lemon pudding mix; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 3/4 cup water; 4 large eggs; 1 cup lemon curd; 1/2 cup fresh blueberries; 1 teaspoon water; 1/2 tablespoon honey; 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 cup blueberry sauce; 4-5 cups powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Modified: Jun 1, 2026 · Published: Jun 1, 2026 by Jocelyn · This post may contain affiliate links · 83 Comments

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These Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are everything a summer cupcake should be! Each cupcake has a surprise lemon curd center and a swirl of blueberry buttercream that makes them look stunning and taste amazing!

Lemon blueberry cupcakes on a yellow towel.

The original post for lemon blueberry cupcakes was first published in June 2013. It was updated and republished in June 2026.

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Why You'll Love This Lemon Blueberry Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients Needed
Cupcake Variations
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
BruCrew Tips
Storing and Freezing
More Filled Cupcakes
Recipe

Some flavor combos make you happy, and lemon and blueberry are one of them. That bright tart lemon mixed with sweet juicy blueberries is just so good together, no matter what you put them in.

I love using fresh fruit in frostings and fillings. The color and flavor are much better than anything from a bottle. These cupcakes are the perfect example of that!

The blueberry buttercream gets its natural purple color from a simple sauce made with fresh berries. No food coloring needed, and it's honestly one of the prettiest frostings I have ever made.

But wait, because it gets even better! I also added a surprise lemon curd center that takes these from good to great. Every bite has the perfect balance of sweet lemon cake, tart creamy filling, and fresh fruity frosting. One bite, and you will want to make them for every summer picnic.

Why You'll Love This Lemon Blueberry Cupcake Recipe

Lemon cake mix upgrade. Adding lemon pudding mix, fresh lemon juice, and zest to the cake mix batter gives these cupcakes a bright citrus flavor. Nobody will guess they started with a box!
Surprise in every bite! A spoonful of lemon curd tucked into the center of each cupcake takes this dessert over the top. It's the best kind of surprise!
Gorgeous blueberry frosting. The deep purple color comes entirely from fresh blueberries. It's one of the prettiest natural frostings you will ever make.
Perfect for any special occasion. Trust me, these cupcakes will be a showstopper on any dessert table. Make them for summer parties, baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays, or just because you love blueberries.

Ingredients Needed

A batch of lemon blueberry cupcakes comes together with simple ingredients and a few fun shortcuts. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the exact amounts.

Ingredients for lemon blueberry cupcakes on a white board with labels.

For the Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cake Mix: A boxed mix gives you a soft, tender crumb. We will jazz it up with a few extra ingredients to make it taste homemade.
Instant Lemon Pudding Mix: Adds an extra punch of lemon flavor and a soft, moist texture.
Canola Oil: Keeps the cupcakes moist and tender.
Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: Use the zest from one lemon and its juice to replace some of the water. This adds a stronger citrus flavor to the batter.
Eggs: Bind all the ingredients together.
Lemon Curd: A spoonful of homemade or store-bought lemon curd adds a tart, creamy surprise to each cupcake.

For the Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

Unsalted Butter: Set it out ahead of time, so it is soft enough to whip into a fluffy frosting.
Salt: Balances out the sweetness from the sugar.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor.
Blueberry Sauce: Fresh blueberries cooked with a little honey give the frosting a natural purple color and fruity flavor. Make sure it is completely cool before adding it to the butter mixture!
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and gives it a pipeable consistency.
Heavy Cream: Makes the frosting extra light and fluffy.

Cupcake Variations

Change the cupcake filling. Raspberry jam, strawberry preserves, or a spoonful of homemade raspberry pie filling are a delicious alternative to the curd. Use whatever sounds good to you.
Try a different berry sauce. Fresh raspberries or blackberries can be cooked just like blueberries and will give you a different color and taste.
Add blueberries to the batter. Fold fresh blueberries into the cupcake batter before baking to give the dessert even more fruit flavor.
Make a layered lemon blueberry cake. Bake the batter in round cake pans, then fill and frost the layers.
Try a different frosting. A vanilla frosting or lemon buttercream will also taste great.

How To Make Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

These moist lemon cupcakes with blueberry frosting look like they took all day, but I promise they are so much easier than they look. Here is how to make them step by step.

Step by step photos showing how to make and fill lemon cupcakes.

Make the lemon cupcake batter. Add the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, juice, water, eggs, and zest to a large bowl and beat until smooth. Spoon the batter evenly into 24 cupcake liners and bake. Remove and let cool completely.
Make the blueberry sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries and water. Stir and gently mash the berries until they burst and thicken into a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat, stir in honey, then let cool.
Make the blueberry buttercream. Beat the butter, salt, and vanilla until light and creamy. Slowly add the cooled berry sauce and sugar, beating until smooth. Add the heavy cream and beat another 1-2 minutes to get it fluffy.
Fill the cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer to remove the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill the cavity with lemon curd, then place the cake piece back on top to seal it in.
Frost and garnish. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each filled cupcake. Top with a few fresh berries or a small slice of lemon for a pretty presentation.

A lemon cupcake with blueberry frosting with a bite out of it showing a lemon curd center.

BruCrew Tips

Zest the lemon before juicing it. Remove the zest, then cut and squeeze for the juice.
Use fresh blueberries for the sauce. Fresh berries will give you the best color and flavor. Frozen blueberries will work, but will release more moisture, making the sauce thinner.
Cook the blueberry sauce until thick and jammy. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture is thick, then remove it from the heat and add honey.
Let the sauce cool completely. Adding warm sauce to butter will end in a melted disaster.
Use a piping tip for bakery-style swirls. A piping bag fitted with a 1M tip will allow you to create gorgeous swirls that look impressive.
Double the frosting. The frosting recipe can cover 12 cupcakes with tall swirls. If you prefer less frosting, you can pipe a smaller swirl on the 24 cupcakes.

Storing and Freezing

Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freeze the unfrosted AND unfilled cupcakes in a single layer in a freezer bag for 1-2 months. Thaw at room temperature and fill and frost before serving.

Lemon blueberry cupcakes on a yellow towel and white cake stand.

More Filled Cupcakes

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