23 of Our Absolute Best Cupcake Recipes

Fresh Rosemary and Lemon Cupcakes

For a double dose of refreshing lemon flavor, look no further than this cupcake recipe. Both the cake and the glaze topping in this rosemary-infused cupcake feature the citrus fruit. Save some lemon zest for an easy garnish.

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

This delight is one of our best cupcake recipes for cherry lovers. Pair moist vanilla cake with the irresistible flavors of tart cherries and sweet almonds for a showstopping dessert.

Test Kitchen Tip: To make ahead, place unfrosted cupcakes in a covered, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze for up to one month. Frost them when you're ready to enjoy.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Mascarpone Cream Filling

Reconsider pumpkin beyond the traditional pie. With its smooth texture and warm, mellow flavor, the fall-favorite squash shines in this delicious cupcake recipe. A spiced mascarpone frosting and crystallized ginger add a kick, proving this recipe is worthy of year-round indulgence.

Lavender-Honey Cupcakes

When it comes to creative cupcake ideas, this one is a definite winner. Fall in love with this soft and sophisticated lavender confection sweetened with a touch of honey. A simple basketweave piped frosting design provides a professional look.

Related: 10 Best Hand Mixers for Every Baker and Budget

Mochaccino Cupcakes

Get your caffeine fix from dessert. Coffee buttercream makes an irresistible topper for our cinnamon-spiced chocolate cupcake recipe. For a fun "straw" topper, add a créme-filled rolled wafer cookie.

Candied Bacon-Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Bacon cupcakes? Stick with us here: Crispy bacon, candied to perfection in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, becomes a cupcake topper unlike any other. The cake is super-moist, thanks to the addition of mashed sweet potatoes. And as if the candied bacon weren't impressive enough, surprise—we've spiked the cream cheese frosting with bourbon.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Bookmark this red velvet cupcake recipe for anytime you want dessert in in a vibrant color. Don't fail to let your eggs and butter stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making. This allows your cupcakes (and any cupcake recipe, for that matter) achieve the light, fluffy texture you want.

Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes

If orange-vanilla ice cream pops were your favorite ice-cream truck order when you were a kid, try this amazing cupcake recipe. Zesty orange and creamy cheesecake flavors echo the sweet pleasures of summer in this nostalgic treat. We love that to save time, this recipe starts with a boxed cake mix.

Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes

Toasted coconut flakes and our vanilla-coconut frosting add elegance to a simple vanilla cupcake for a new take on an old favorite. Ground macadamia nuts provide some extra texture and nutty flavor to the batter.

Chai Breakfast Cupcakes

These breakfast cupcakes taste like your favorite morning tea. Full of spices (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg), the chai flavoring takes baked goods to the next level.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you don't have a pastry bag, place the frosting in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.

Churro Cupcakes

When you're craving a churro, but don't want to break out the deep fryer, go for this cupcake recipe that's just as delicious. They might not be as crisp (unless you want to add a crunchy topper), but the recipe features the same cinnamon-sugar flavor you love.

Spiked Raspberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

Take your childhood lemonade stand into adulthood. With raspberry liqueur-spiked frosting, this cupcake recipe makes one refreshing dessert.

Choco-Zucchini Cupcakes

The combination of peanut butter frosting and dark chocolate in these cupcakes is enhanced with healthy shredded zucchini. As an extra bonus, the zucchini keeps the cupcakes moist.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe is just as amazing as your breakfast favorite, but without the need for yeast and proofing time. The sweet filling features an irresistible blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. With more than 100 positive ratings, it might be one of our best cupcake recipes ever created.

Moscow Mule Cupcakes

A surefire way to improve boxed cake mix is to doctor it up with lime juice, lime zest, vodka, and ginger. It tastes just like a Moscow mule cocktail.

Neapolitan Cupcakes

If you have so much trouble picking just one flavor of ice cream that you continually fall back on Neapolitan, this cupcake recipe is for you. To achieve that classic three-flavor combination, we've added vanilla, cocoa powder, and strawberry preserves to a white cake mix.

Peanut-Butter Chocolate Twist Cupcakes

Ah, chocolate and peanut butter. Here the classic combination comes together in a peanut-butter cupcake base topped in a creamy swirl of frosting rich in chocolate and peanut butter. Top it all with a peanut butter cup for an adorable (and delicious) finish.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

This creative cupcake recipe turns your favorite soda into dessert. Root beer goes right into the batter to give it that rich signature flavor. The float frosting whips together vanilla ice cream, butter, and sugar for a truly authentic soda-shop taste.

Pineapple-Carrot Cupcakes

You'll get some serious carrot cake taste from this delicious cupcake recipe. The batter features shredded carrots (buy them pre-shredded to save you prep time) and crushed pineapple. A rich cream-cheese frosting serves as the topping for these moist cupcakes.

Lemon-Poppyseed Cupcakes

Simple yet elegant, these tender desserts take the cake. Mirror the zesty flavor in these treats with a light lemon glaze and lemon peel garnish. It'll pair perfectly with your cup of afternoon tea.

Triple-Chocolate Cupcakes

Perfect for the chocolate lovers in the family, these indulgent cupcakes get not just one, but three hits of chocolate. Each cupcake is laced with chocolate liqueur, bittersweet chocolate, and topped with billows of dark chocolate-butter frosting.

Island Bananas Foster Cupcakes

Bananas Foster is a decadent dessert made from bananas and a dark sauce of sugar, cinnamon, and rum. Here those flavors are transformed into a showstopping cupcake recipe. We added coconut to the batter to give them some tropical flair.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Talk about a picture-worthy dessert—this rich chocolate cupcake recipe goes all out. It's topped with chocolate-pecan ice cream, caramel sauce, and toasted coconut. It's safe to say you'll be eating this cupcake with a spoon.