Arnold Palmer Cupcakes Recipe – Sweet Tea and Lemonade cupcakes. SO good!! Lemon cake mix, eggs, oil, tea, powdered sugar, butter, tea-infused milk, and lemon extract. Perfect dessert for watching The Masters, cookouts, and potlucks.

Originally posted April 7, 2015

lemon cupcake on a plate with text overlay

Arnold Palmer Cupcakes for The Masters

These Arnold Palmer Cupcakes are a must for your upcoming Masters golf tournament watch parties and all of your Spring & Summer parties. Sweet tea and lemon cupcakes – so light and refreshing! Lemon and sweet tea cupcakes topped with a lemon and sweet tea buttercream frosting. SO good! Not only are these cupcakes delicious but they are also easy to make with a box of cake mix! You must give these a try ASAP!

What is an Arnold Palmer?

An Arnold Palmer drink is half tea half lemonade. Per Wikipedia, Palmer “was in the habit of drinking iced tea with lemonade at home, and in 1960 at the U.S. Open at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, he ordered the non-alcoholic drink at the bar. A woman sitting nearby overheard him, and ordered “that Palmer drink”, thus giving the beverage its name.”

How To Make Arnold Palmer Cupcakes

These cupcakes are super simple to make with only a few simple ingredients. Bring some water to boil and add two tea bags. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes and discard tea bags. In a medium bowl, mix together lemon cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and tea. Place cupcake liners in two muffin tins. Spoon batter into the muffin cups and bake according to the package directions. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tins and cool completely on wire racks.

To make the buttercream, in a small saucepan heat milk or heavy whipping cream just until it starts to boil. Add a teabag to the hot milk and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and let the milk cool completely. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Slowly add in confectioners’ sugar, lemon extract, and the cooled milk. Mix the butter mixture until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring and mix well. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the lemon tea frosting.

Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

Do not make the cake mix according to the package directions. You are using the dry mix.
Can add lemon zest or lemon juice to the cake batter and frosting.
I use Lipton iced tea bags.
This recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes.
- You can bake the cake in cake pans or a 9×13-inch pan if you prefer.
Store the cupcakes covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- The cupcakes will keep up to 2 days at room temperature and up to a week in the refrigerator.

Easy Lemon Cupcakes Recipe

This easy dessert has quickly become a favorite! I make this cake for Masters week, cookouts, potlucks, and birthday parties. Everyone LOVES them. I don’t drink iced tea, but I absolutely love these yummy cupcakes. They are bursting with great flavor. Give these a try. They are sure to become a favorite at your house too!

Looking for more Masters golf-themed recipes for your watch party? Here are the most popular Masters recipes on the blog:

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