Description
These Cake Mix Lemon Muffins feature a bright, citrusy flavor from fresh lemon zest combined with a convenient cake mix base, resulting in tender, bakery-quality muffins in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy mornings, weekend brunches, or anytime you need a quick homemade treat that impresses without the fuss.
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix, standard 15.25 oz size
- 3/4 cup softened salted butter, about 1 1/2 sticks, melted if easier to mix
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, 2% or whole
- 1 lemon, zested
- Optional toppings, powdered sugar glaze, poppy seeds, lemon juice, or fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Heat your oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly with cooking spray.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter, eggs, and milk until smooth and well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add dry mix and zest: Pour in the lemon cake mix and add the fresh lemon zest, stirring until just combined, about 30-45 seconds; do not overmix, as this can lead to dense muffins.
- Fold in optional additions: If using lemon juice or poppy seeds, gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula using 2-3 turns.
- Fill the cups: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full for perfectly sized muffins.
- Bake until golden: Place in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and enjoy: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes