Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
1 1/2 cup cake flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Next, beat the softened butter and sugar with a handheld mixer or stand mixer for 2 minutes until creamed.
1/2 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
Then, add the eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated.
2 large eggs
Slowly add half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix until well-combined.
1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1 TBS lemon zest, 1/4 cup lemon juice
Add the remaining dry ingredients, milk, and mix again until the mixture is fully combined and no lumps are visible.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and fill about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
Frosting
In a large bowl, beat softened butter and softened cream cheese until well blended and no clumps.
1/2 cups unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, then add vanilla and beat until creamy.
4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frost cupcakes using a piping tag and your favorite piping tip.
Notes
Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.Freeze cupcakes before frosting in an airtight freezer-safe container. When you want to thaw, simply take out of the freezer and allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature. Frost once completely thawed.Ingredient Notes:
Whole milk - can be replaced by any other milk if whole milk is not available.
Lemon juice - use the juice from 3-4 fresh lemons to get the amount you'll need