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–+ servings

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd

5 from 3 votes
Sweet lemon vanilla cupcakes filled with tart lemon curd and topped with a tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting.
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Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings6 cupcakes
Calories649 kcal

Ingredients 

Lemon Curd

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 65 g granulated sugar (⅓ c.)
  • 40 g lemon juice (2 ¾ tbsp.)
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 28 g unsalted butter cubed (2 tbsp.)

Lemon Cupcakes

  • 100 g granulated sugar (½ c.)
  • zest of 1 large lemon
  • 90 g all purpose flour (¾ c.)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 41 g unsalted butter room temperature, cubed (3 tbsp.)
  • 32 g vegetable oil (2 ½ tbsp.)
  • 1 egg white room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 45 g sour cream room temperature (3 tbsp.)
  • 55 g whole milk room temperature (¼ c.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 130 g cream cheese room temperature (½ c. + 1 tbsp.)
  • 84 g unsalted butter room temperature (6 tbsp.)
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 210 g powdered sugar (1 ¾ c.)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions 

Lemon Curd

  • Prep a small mixing bowl by adding the cubed butter to it, along with a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.
  • Add the sugar to a small saucepan, then zest the lemon zest into the pan. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
  • Add in the lemon juice, egg yolks, and salt.
  • Set the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly (this can be slowly - we just need constant movement happening!)
  • Continue to stir the curd until it thickens and reaches a temperature of at least 170°F / 76°C (This took me about 3-5 minutes.)
  • Remove the curd from the heat and pass it through the fine mesh sieve, over the butter. Mix the curd and the butter together until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the curd to the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cupcakes.

Lemon Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a cupcake pan with 6 parchment cupcake liners.
  • To a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the sugar. Zest the lemon into the sugar, then use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
  • Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cubed butter. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the mixture together until the butter has completely combined with the dry ingredients and no lumps remain.
  • Add in the oil, egg white, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk. Whisk the ingredients together just until a cohesive batter has formed.
  • Distribute the batter evenly between the six liners. Bake for 15-18 min., or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the cream cheese, butter, and salt to a medium bowl. With a hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat until light and fluffy (~1 minute)
  • Beat in half of the powdered sugar until it's combined, then beat in the other half. Add in the vanilla and beat for an additional minute, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  • Use a teaspoon measurement to push down in the center of the cupcakes to form a hole. Fill each hole with lemon curd up until the top of the cupcake.
  • Top each cupcake with a heaping scoop of the cream cheese frosting*, then swirl in the extra lemon curd on top. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

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*Alternatively, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your tip of choice, pipe the frosting on to the cupcakes, and drizzle with the remaining lemon curd.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 649kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 5gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 329mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 64gVitamin A: 1077IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 1mg