Grapefruit Cupcakes with Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting are refreshing and delicious! Tender, sweet, and delicious, these cupcakes are a wonderful treat!
I love sharing fun fruity and tasty cupcakes and these Grapefruit Cupcakes are just that! Make sure to check out my lemon cupcakes, orange marmalade cupcakes, and strawberry shortcake cupcakes too!
What you need for these tasty cupcakes?
Grapefruit Cupcakes: Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Unsalted Butter, Sugar, Eggs, Grapefruit Juice Zest, Buttermilk, Vanilla.
Grapefruit Frosting: Unsalted Butter, Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, Heavy Cream, Vanilla, Salt, Grapefruit Juice and Zest.
Don’t have time?
If you don’t have time to make cupcakes from scratch, try adding grapefruit zest and some juice to a vanilla-boxed cake mix! Won’t be as tender but works in a pinch.
How to make Grapefruit Cupcakes?
- Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar.
- Add eggs into the batter one at a time until all are incorporated.
- Stir in zest, grapefruit juice, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- Add flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
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How to make Grapefruit Frosting?
- In a stand mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.
- Add in powdered sugar and grapefruit juice, alternating between the two, until all is mixed in.
- Stir in the zest and frost your cupcakes!
Cupcake Tips
- Fill the cupcake line ¾ high with batter for a nice fully cupcake.
- Use a large piping tip and piping bag for a nice-looking cupcake.
Making for a Spring Party, Mother's Day, Easter, or a Bridal Shower?
Check out all my spring recipes here, which include lemon bars, pink and gold cake, lemonade, white chocolate cheesecake, cream cheese dip, this whipped cream cheese frosting, and so much more!
Yes! You can make the cupcakes ahead of time, then thaw the night before serving, and frost the day you serve them.
Yes, but I recommend using only a very small amount at first (⅛th tsp), tasting the frosting (or batter if you are comfortable with that) , then adding more if needed.
For me, the addition of the grapefruit zest really brings the flavor out so I don’t find a need to add extract but if you prefer to extract remember a little goes a long way.
Yes, pour batter into a cake pan that is greased and floured then bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean.
If frosted, I like to store cupcakes in a large container with a lid- like this- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
If you like this recipe, check out my cream filled cupcakes, white chocolate cupcakes, easy birthday cupcakes, brown sugar frosting, and caramel frosting!
Grapefruit Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Zest from 1 grapefruit
- Juice from ¾ of a grapefruit
- 6 tbs buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbs heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- Juice from ¼-½ of a grapefruit
- Zest from 1 grapefruit
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
- In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.1.5 cups flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together butter with sugar until fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated. Then stir in the grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.2 large eggs, Zest from 1 grapefruit, Juice from ¾ of a grapefruit, 6 tbs buttermilk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour mixture until combined.
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ full with batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once done baking, remove from oven and set pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then remove cupcakes from pan and allow to finish cooling on cooling rack.
- Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.
How to make grapefruit cream cheese frosting:
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, salt on medium high until fully combined.½ cup unsalted butter softened, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 3 tbs heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch salt
- Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, adding in grapefruit juice in intervals to help the powdered sugar incorporate.4-5 cups powdered sugar, Juice from ¼-½ of a grapefruit
- Stir in the zest and frost your cupcakes!Zest from 1 grapefruit
Notes
- * The more powdered sugar the stiffer the frosting. I like to use at least 4 cups*
- Storage: If frosted, I like to store cupcakes in a large container with a lid- like this- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Make ahead: You can make the cupcakes ahead of time, then thaw the night before serving, and frost the day you serve them.
- Grapefruit extract? You don't need this but if you do want to use it I recommend using only a very small amount at first (⅛th tsp), tasting the frosting (or batter if you are comfortable with that) , then adding more if needed.
Mareike says
I ended up with a frosting that was overly sweet and completely liquid and useless. Did I do something wrong?
Lisa Killian says
Hmm I'm not sure. The frosting is sweet just from it being frosting but should be stiff enough to pipe. How much powdered sugar and heavy cream did you add? Is your hots really hot? Was the butter room temp when you mixed it or did you melt to a liquid?
izzi says
I made a cake for my moms birthday and just used the frosting, this frosting recipe is amazing!
Lisa says
Yay! I love the frosting!
Tracee says
I have a similar recipe and made grapefruit curd for the filling. Yum!
Lisa says
Oh man that sounds amazing! Talk about tasking it to the next level! I'll have to try that next time!
Mirlene says
These cupcakes look super YUM!!!!! I wish I had seen this earlier, I could have made it for the kids to enjoy after dinner. Looks extremely delicious.
Lisa says
Thanks!
Heather says
I love grapefruit and cupcakes, but never thought to put them together. Totally YUM! Such a fresh, tasty twist on the classic cupcake 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks!
Yvonne says
Such a unique flavor and so pretty too!
Lisa says
Thank you!
Camila says
These cupcakes are not only pretty but I'm sure they're also delicious!!
Lisa says
Thank you!
Stephanie says
These look super yummy - I never would have thought to put grapefruit in frosting but it sounds delicious!!
Lisa says
Thanks!
Arjhon says
Another to add to our list of dessert recipes. I never made a Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting before. I will definitely try this.
Lisa says
Awesome!
sondria Harp says
Don't tell people that you'll make these for them, you're going to have a line out the door! But seriously, another fun recipe, can't wait to try
Lisa says
Thanks!