Small Batch Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Yield: 6 lemon curd cupcakes // Total Time: 45 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.

These cupcakes are pure summer cupcake bliss. We take a sweet, light and fluffy vanilla cupcake and fill it with a velvety rich and tangy lemon curd, then top it all off with a swiss meringue buttercream.

Small batch lemon curd cupcakes

These cupcakes are for you if you are a big fan of the sweet and tart combination (I know I am!) The vanilla cupcakes are ridiculously light and fluffy. The lemon curd is perfectly velvety and tart, and the swiss meringue buttercream is just the cherry on top. I specifically developed this recipe to ensure that you wouldn’t have any extra egg yolks or egg whites lying around afterwards. (I know how annoying that can be, especially when I’m developing my small batch cookies! Lol). You will need a total of 3 eggs, we’ll use 1 whole egg in the cupcakes, 2 yolks in the curd and 2 egg whites in the buttercream.

Small batch lemon curd cupcakes recipe tips

Weigh your ingredients

Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. Not weighing your ingredients can lead to adding too much or too little of an ingredient. In a small batch recipe it is especially important to get those correct measurements because there is less room for error. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. This one is super cheap and worked well for me when I was starting out!

Mix the batter carefully

It is super important to not overmix the cupcake batter. Overmixing the batter leads to more gluten development which will make the cupcakes super tough and chewy. Only mix just until the last bit of flour is incorporated.

Room temperature ingredients

It is important for the ingredients to be at room temperature so that they properly incorporate with each other. If you have ever had your batter look curdled, it is most likely due to the ingredients separating from being at different temperatures. Take out the egg and buttermilk at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hr 30 min. before starting the recipe.

Try to not overbake the cupcakes

Cupcakes like to go from under-baked to over-baked super quickly so it is important to keep a close eye on them. Start checking at 15 minutes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out wet, check them again in 2 minutes and so on until only a few moist crumbs stick to the toothpick.

Ingredients and substitutions

For the lemon curd:

Egg yolks: the base of the curd and what thickens it up.

Granulated sugar: sweetens up the curd.

Lemons: where all the flavor comes from! We will use some fresh squeezed lemon juice along with lemon zest.

Salt: to balance and bring out the sweetness of the curd.

Unsalted butter: for thickening the curd and giving it that melt-in-your-mouth feel. You can use salted butter here, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the curd.

For the vanilla cupcakes:

All purpose flour: gives the cupcakes their structure.

Baking powder: for helping the cupcakes rise.

Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the batter.

Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cupcakes and adding that nice buttery flavor to them. You can substitute in salted butter, just be sure to omit the extra salt in the batter.

Vegetable oil: for tenderizing the cupcakes. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use another neutral oil such as canola.

Granulated sugar: for adding sweetness and for locking in moisture.

Egg: for binding the batter together and adding moisture.

Vanilla: for flavor. I use and love this vanilla extract! 

Buttermilk: for tenderizing the cupcakes and adding moisture. I recommend using full fat buttermilk for the best texture. I highly recommend using buttermilk but I know it can be hard or annoying to purchase, especially if you don’t plan on using it for anything else. It won’t be completely the same, but you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute. For this recipe, simply combine 5 mL lemon juice with 80 mL whole milk at the beginning of the recipe.

For the swiss meringue buttercream:

Egg whites: the base of the meringue in swiss meringue buttercream.

Granulated sugar: for sweetening and helping the egg whites whip up.

Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the buttercream.

Unsalted butter: adds flavor to and thickens up the buttercream. You can use salted butter here, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the buttercream.

Vanilla: for flavor. I use and love this vanilla extract! 

How to make small batch lemon curd cupcakes

1. Make the curd. Heat together the curd ingredients (minus the butter) until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the cold butter until it’s all melted and the mixture is smooth. Place the curd in the fridge until your ready to assemble the cupcakes.

2. Start the cupcakes: combine the wet ingredients. For the cupcakes, melt the butter and then whisk in the sugar, followed by the egg and vanilla.

3. Alternate the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Alternate mixing in half of the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk and then the rest of the dry ingredients. Be super careful to only mix until the mixture is cohesive. Overmixing can lead to tough and chewy cupcakes!

4. Bake. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out with only a few moist crumbs (~15 minutes!)

5. Make the buttercream. Heat the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler, whisking constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F / 71°C. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and beat on hmedium high speed until soft peaks form. Whisk in the butter slowly, then whisk in the vanilla!

6. Fill the cupcakes. Use the back of a teaspoon measurement to indent the center of the cupcakes. Fill each center with lemon curd.

7. Frost the cupcakes. Frost each cupcake with the swiss meringue buttercream, then top with additional lemon curd if desired for a nice sneak peek into the cupcakes. Serve and enjoy!

How to make swiss meringue buttercream

The first step to making swiss meringue buttercream involves heating the egg white, sugar, and salt over a double boiler. Constantly whisk those ingredients together until the mixture reaches 160°F / 71°C. This is important to ensure that the egg is safe to consume! Immediately transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture reaches stiff peaks and has cooled down to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled and reaches stiff peaks, start whisking in the butter 1 tbsp. at a time. Do not add the next piece of butter until the first one has completely been incorporated. (I like to use a timer and wait 30 seconds in between each piece). Once all of the butter has been added, whisk in the vanilla.

Troubleshooting swiss meringue buttercream

If the mixture seems thin and soupy, place it in the fridge for 20 minutes and whip it back up – it should be perfect! You may need to refrigerate it longer but do not put it in for more than 20 minute intervals or the butter will solidify. If it seems a bit curdled, just keep on beating it until it eventually smooths out.

Small batch lemon curd cupcakes Q & A

Can I double these small batch lemon curd cupcakes?

Of course! Obviously they will not be small batch anymore but small batch isn’t always what we need! Simply double all of the ingredients in the recipe to make 12 delicious cupcakes. I even more strongly recommend measuring by weight if you are going to double the recipe for the best results.

Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?

You can definitely make the harder components of this recipe ahead of time! The lemon curd and swiss meringue buttercream can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. You will want to whip up the buttercream before piping.

How to store small batch lemon curd cupcakes

Like most baked goods, these lemon cupcakes will definitely taste the best on the day that they are baked. The lemon curd and swiss meringue buttercream do need to be stored in the fridge. Therefore, if the cupcakes are frosted they need to be stored in the fridge.

Why do you measure in grams?

My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale, and here’s an article about why I use a kitchen scale, and why you should too!

A note on oven temperature

Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature. For example, I always have to set my oven to 330°F if I want it to bake at 350°F. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.

Tools and ingredients

Muffin pan: I absolutely love USA pan products because of their great quality. This is their muffin pan.

Cookie scoops: I have gone through a lot of cookie scoops in my baking journey, and these ones have lasted me the longest without breaking. Plus they are dishwasher safe! I love using cookie scoops to get an even amount of batter in to each muffin tin.

Vanilla: I love using Rodelle vanilla extract. Not only is it a great quality product, but it’s on the lower end of the price that vanilla can be! This is the one I use.

For a full list of tools, equipment and ingredients that I use and love, you can check out this page here.

Did you make these small batch lemon curd cupcakes?

If you made these small batch lemon curd cupcakes I would love to see them and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!