Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling
Brighten your day with these moist Lemon Cupcakes with a tangy Lemon Curd filling! Featuring a soft, zesty sponge and a hidden silk-smooth centre, these filled cupcakes are topped with a fluffy lemon buttercream frosting. Whether you use my easy homemade lemon curd or store-bought, these are the ultimate refreshing spring dessert for lemon lovers!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 175 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
- 2 lemons, zest
- 175 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter cubed, at room temp
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) self-raising flour
Filling and topping
- lemon curd, to fill and top cupcakes
- 220 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 440 g (3 cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 2-4 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Line the cupcake tin with cupcake cases then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan) / 350°F whilst preparing the cupcake mixture.
- Tip in the caster sugar into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Zest both lemons directly into the bowl, holding the zester near the bowl so the oils of the lemon get in the mixing bowl too (this adds to the lemon flavour). Stir to combine the lemon zest and its oils with the sugar. Add the butter to the bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing well until combined before adding in the next egg. Scrape down the bowl then mix again to ensure everything is well mixed together. Sift in the flour, and beat to combine.
- Divide the cake mixture equally between the cupcake cases. I prefer to use an ice cream scoop, so I get even amounts of mixture in all the cases. However, you can use two spoons too if you prefer. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until the cupcakes are springy to touch and a wooden skewer inserted in the lemon cupcake comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the tin, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
For the buttercream and decoration
- To make the lemon buttercream, first beat the butter thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Add in the sugar and beat well, then spoon in enough lemon juice to help it come together. Beat the buttercream for a few minutes until the icing is light and fluffy. Stir vigorously with a spatula (this helps get rid of the air bubbles in the buttercream). Transfer the lemon frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle (I used a Wilton 1M nozzle).
- Once the cupcakes are cool, cut a hole out of the middle of each cupcake. I use a corer to do this, but a small sharp knife will work just as well. Fill the hole with some lemon curd, tapping the cupcake gently on a table to encourage the curd to settle into the cupcake better. Top up with more curd as needed. Once the lemon curd cupcake has been filled, pipe a buttercream swirl on the cupcake. Drizzle over a little more lemon curd to finish. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use fresh lemons for easiest zesting. As lemons age, the skin loses its firmness and dries out, becoming harder to zest.
- Zest the fruit directly over the mixing bowl. This ensures any oils from the lemon also find their way into the bake, giving extra beautiful lemon flavour!
- If your lemons are a bit too firm to juice, you could try rolling them on a table to release the juices before cutting and squeezing. I also like to microwave my lemon for a few seconds, as this helps it release its juices a lot more easily too.
- For a really beautiful light buttercream, beat the butter for a good few minutes until really pale and light in texture. Add in the icing (powdered) sugar in two goes, stirring through before beating (to avoid the sugar cloud!), then beat again until light.
- Vigorous stirring of the buttercream after it has been beaten will not deflate the buttercream, but it will help get rid of any air bubbles in it. This means when piped, the buttercream will be smooth and light, without little pockets of air.
- When filling the lemon curd cupcakes, there is no need to warm up the lemon curd. Just give it a good stir to loosen, then fill the cupcakes. However, I do find a few seconds of warming before doing the drizzle on the buttercream is very helpful to getting a smooth, lump free result.
- For the perfect drizzle, microwave 2 tablespoons of lemon curd for 5-10 seconds until slightly fluid. Let it cool for a minute so it doesn't melt the icing, then use a small spoon to create a professional zig-zag pattern.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal