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Soft Lemon Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

Two Lemon Muffins Cream Cheese Filling Soft on a white plate, one cut open showing the creamy center.
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Make tender, moist lemon muffins featuring a sweet, soft cream cheese center. This recipe provides clear steps for a bakery-style result.

Ingredients

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  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine for soft muffins.
  5. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. This is your filling.
  6. Fill each muffin liner about one-third full with the batter.
  7. Place about one teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of the batter in each cup.
  8. Top with the remaining batter, covering the cream cheese filling completely. Fill cups about two-thirds full.
  9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion (avoiding the filling) comes out clean.
  10. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • For the softest texture, measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
  • To prevent the filling from sinking, ensure your batter is thick enough and cover the cream cheese completely with the top layer of batter.
  • You can make a simple lemon glaze by mixing 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and drizzling it over cooled muffins.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonswirl.com/lemon-muffins-cream-cheese-filling-soft/