Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Place cupcake liners into the standard-sized muffin tins. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add oil, eggs, whole milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cream for 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the egg mixture and mix together.
Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean in the center of the cupcake. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Lemon Frosting:
Cream together butter and cream cheese for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix together.
Once the lemon cupcakes have completely cooled, you can frost or pipe the frosting on each cupcake. May decorate with fresh edible flowers, sparking sugar, or fresh lemon zest.
Notes
How do I know when the cupcakes are done baking?The cupcakes will begin to rise and slightly dome in the center. The center of the cupcake will no longer be liquid but will look set. You can test out the cupcake's doneness by placing a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cupcake to make sure it comes out "clean." This just means that the cupcake is no longer liquid in the center.