17A lovely lemon curd filled cupcake topped with a cream cheese lemon curd frosting is the perfect treat for lemon lovers!
I think since it is Easter week and Easter and lemon go together I figured it was o.k. to share yet another lemon dessert. Some type of lemon dessert is a requirement at our house for Easter. No matter what else we have, there must always be lemon!
I have made a lovely lemon cream cake before for Easter. The filling on this cake was amazing. A combination of cream cheese, whipping cream and lemon curd. I still dream about it.
This year I decided I wanted to make cupcakes instead of a cake but somehow I wanted to incorporate the filling from the lemon cream cake. I decided to turn it into a frosting for the cupcakes and fill the lemon cupcakes with lemon curd. Lemon heaven.
How to Make Lemon Curd Cupcakes
- The most important ingredient in lemon curd cupcakes is lemon curd. I know you can buy lemon curd at the grocery store and I have done that often but homemade lemon curd is so easy to make and it is ALWAYS better than any store bought version I have bought.
- This recipe starts with a lightly lemon flavored cupcake batter thanks to some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
- I like to use cupcake liners so that my cupcakes come out of the pan easily. I use this scoop for my batter so that I get evenly sized cupcakes.
- While the cupcakes are baking, make your lemon curd and allow it to cool until about room temperature. It is easy to do in a saucepan on the stove top. Just be sure to stir it continuously so it doesn’t burn. I stick the pan in the refrigerator after cooking to speed up the cooling process.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- The crowning glory and main attraction to these cupcakes is the frosting. It is amazing!! You will want to make these cupcakes just so you can make this frosting. The frosting is a cream cheese and whipped cream frosting with lemon curd. You will use half of the lemon curd mixture in the frosting (about 1/2 cup) and the other half is piped into the center of the cupcake.
- To get the lemon curd into the middle of the cupcake I use a plastic squeeze bottle. I just poke it right into the middle of the cupcake and squeeze. If you don’t have one, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the middle of the cupcake and carefully spoon lemon curd into the hole.
- Fill a piping bag with the frosting along with a large round tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. You can also just use a knife and frost them. The combination of cream cheese, whipping cream and lemon curd makes for a nice, light, soft frosting. You will need to keep the cupcakes refrigerated over night due to the whipping cream and cream cheese if there are any leftover. Bring the cake back to room temperature though before serving.
- I like to garnish the cupcakes with some dried sugared lemons I found at Trader Joe’s or use slices of fresh lemon.
For a few other lemon dessert ideas for Easter check these out:
Lemon Curd Cupcake Recipe
Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Lemon Cake:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cup sugar
- 4 eggs separated
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- zest of two lemons
Lemon Curd:
- 2 lemons juiced and zested
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter cold
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- Half of the above lemon curd recipe above.
Instructions
Lemon Cake:
- Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Mix well
- Alternately add in flour mixture and milk. Beginning and ending with flour. Add in vanilla and lemon extract and lemon zest.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter gently
- Fill cupcake liners in muffin tin. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
- Use half of lemon curd recipe to fill the cupcakes either with a squeeze bottle or by cutting a small hole in the middle of the cupcake and filling with lemon curd
Lemon Curd:
- Zest and juice the lemons
- In a small sauce pan mix together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and zest. Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens.
- Stir in the butter 1 Tbsp at a time and stir until butter melts.
- Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and thickened
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff.
- In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add in lemon curd and beat until smooth.
- Fold in whipped cream and frost or pipe frosting onto cooked cupcakes. If there are cupcakes leftover, refrigerate cupcakes overnight. Bring to room temperature to enjoy.
Nutrition
Originally posted April 20, 2011
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searching for the perfect lemon dessert for Easter Brunch…..going to test them out this weekend. They sound wonderful/
I can’t wait to make these. I had a question about the frosting…Do you use granulated sugar or powered sugar?
Powdered sugar
Thanks for the recipe! I would like to turn this into a layer cake…any tips on what to do with the lemon curd? Just spread a thin layer on the cake before every frosting layer?
My cupcakes, although they tasted ok, were super dense and wouldn’t fill. LOVED the curd and that frosting is now my go to frosting. I’ll have to try again I guess!
About the lemon curd recipe, do I cook all the ingredients directly in the saucepan or in a bowl above some water in the saucepan?
Sorry the recipe isn’t quite clear there. I usually mix it all in a bowl and then put it into the saucepan and cook it.
Hi! I found this recipe through someone else that linked to it on their blog, and I must say they are the best cupcakes i’ve ever tasted, and also the ones i have the most fun making! They are fantastic, I’ve posted (and obviously linked you!!) the recipe and my pictures on the blog, the only thing i changed was that i used extra zest and a small amount of juice rather than lemon essence, as the lemons in Malta are much stronger in flavour 🙂 seriously, thanks so much for this recipe, they are fantastic! 😀
http://oliveoilandheart.blogspot.com/2011/05/lemon-curd-cupcakes.html
Made these today- so yummy. The frosting is so good I could eat it with a spoon
I made the lemon curd and frosting recipe last night to fill and frost a lemon cake–they were a HUGE it. So, so delicious. The frosting was perfectly light and lemony. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it ! It is a yummy one!!
thank you soo much for the quick response. hugs x
I have a cream cheese pack that says 150g.. I dont know how to convert that in to ounces.. would you know if this enough for your recipe or should I buy another pack?
150 g is equal to 5.29 ounces so you will need some more – probably about half that amount more
I just have one question. Did you use icing sugar or caster sugar in the frosting ? My common sense tells me you used icing, but you never know. So help me to replicate this please. Thanks! Your cupcakes is soooo lovely.
I use powdered sugar in the frosting
Thanks for the quick reply! Appreciate it very much. Have a nice day. 😀
Amazing! I made these and they were such a hit!! I was worried about the lemon curd but it was a breeze. I topped it with mini jellied fruit slices I found in the candy aisle. Perfect. I told at least ten people about your fabulous recipes. I think you’ll have some more followers soon!! (the perfect summer salad was a huge success as well. A perfect refreshing side for a memorial day party!
So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes and the salad and thanks for sharing me with your friends. I love new followers!
Hi, Thank you for this lovely recipe. I would like to make this for my mum’s birthday tomorrow as I have about 4 lemons at home. The only problem I have is, we hardly get cream cheese over here so its difficult for me to make the topping. Is there any other suggestions? It would be really helpful.
You could just use a basic buttercream recipe (I have one on the blog) and add some lemon curd into it. Enjoy!
Oh my! I found the recipe yesterday when looking for a cupcake with lemon curd filling,a nd have just finished making them. They are amazing! I can’t believe the wonderful mixture of the 3 basic parts (the frosting – wow! the lemon curd is soooo lemony! and the cakes are fanstastic!!!)
The only thing i did different was use lemon juice instead of extract in the cupcakes, and added a tiny bit of extra zest to the mix. worked out really well! Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s out of this world.
Am I able to share the recipe (with links and attributions to this blog of course!!!) on my own? thanks SO much! 🙂
Congrats! You were in the top 6!!! Glad you could come and join this week. Hope to see you this next week with our new theme: CHOCOLATE!
http://cupcakeapothecary.blogspot.com/2011/05/themed-bakers-sunday-3.html
Alyssa
Hi! I’m having a linky party called A Themed Baker’s Sunday where this week’s theme is LEMONS! Time is running out though! and I would love for you to link this recipe or another lemony deliciousness! Can’t Wait!
http://cupcakeapothecary.blogspot.com/2011/04/themed-bakers-sunday-2.html
Alyssa
I was wondering if the sugar in the frosting was granulated or powdered. Thanks!
Wonderful pick for FoodBuzz Top 9! Congratulations. I love the squeeze of lemon curd in the middle. I have been wanting to do that.
I’m such a HUGE fan of anything lemon! these sound fantastic!!
Thanks for linking up! Happy Easter!
Speaking of lemon curd…I had THE most delicious lemon curd I’ve ever had a few weeks ago at a little cafe in SE Portland called Broder. They serve it with their aebleskivers, and it is fantastic! I wish they sold bottles of it and I would have taken some home with me. Give it a try next time you’re in SE Portland.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/broder-portland
Will definitely be checking it out – I always love new restaurant recommendations and a good lemon curd!!!
I am making these STAT. Do you think the lemon curd filling and this icing would work with Perfect Lemon Cupcakes?
Oh, and I love the peep on top. So cute!
Julie, Absolutely I think it work. The frosting on the perfect lemon cupcakes is pretty amazing too but it is more like a traditional buttercream and heavier than the lemon cream cheese frosting. Both are delicious! Have fun!
Umm, I literally came to your site looking for a lemon cupcake recipe. How perfect, and yes, those are some seriously cute cupcakes! Thanks again for yesterday.
Meg, I’ve got another lemon cupcake recipe on the blog too – check out this one also:https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/perfect-lemon-cupcakes/
I found your blog through Cupcakes take the Cake, and I’m so glad I did!
Your recipes are easy to follow, and your pictures make me want to bake up a batch of cupcakes right now!
I was looking for a great recipe for Easter cupcakes, and like you said, Lemon + Easter is a great combination!
how do you pipe the icing to look like that? Do you spiral out from the middle and then put a “dot” on top? Can you tell me what size tip you use?
Thanks!
I start on the outside and circle in and just pull up on the tip to bet the “dot” on top. I have a cupcake tutorial on the blog that may be of help to you too. https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/cupcake-tutorial/
I LOVE lemon and those sound delicious! I want to eat one right now!
I absolutely adore lemon anything! I love the idea of these cupcakes. I made a very similar one last year. shh… I could eat lemon curd by the spoonful!
Carey
I think I could eat lemon curd just about on top of anything and everything!!! And by itself!
I have been assigned dessert for our big family dinner, so I just think I will do these cupcakes! Thanks so much, my friend!
Good luck with your cupcakes Christy!! Enjoy!
Can you tell me how many cupcakes this recipe makes? Thanks!
It made 2 dozen.
Can I say again that I want to eat with your family? I have to try these cupcakes!