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Lemon Curd Cupcakes

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Lemon curd cupcakes are filled with homemade lemon curd and topped with sweet, creamy lemon buttercream.  Lemon lovers need this dessert!

lemon curd cupcakes on a wire baking rack and topped with frosting

Pinterest image for lemon curd cupcakes with text overlay

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love lemon desserts? I’m somewhere between 10 and infinity.

I have this lemon tart and this strawberry lemonade cake to prove it. And now I have these lemon curd cupcakes too!

Can you imagine a more adorable way to enjoy lemon and all its tart deliciousness?

The cupcake itself is lightly lemon-y and it’s filled with homemade lemon curd—although you could certainly use store bought. The frosting is a regular old buttercream fancied up a little with lemon curd.

Be careful or you’ll end up eating all that lemon frosting with a spoon. (This is an actual problem around here.)

The gorgeous dessert all that lemony goodness adds up to is nothing short of mind blowing.

Notes on making lemon curd cupcakes

When you make the lemon curd, you’ll want to be sure it thickens enough while you’re cooking.  I took a picture to demonstrate:

wooden spoon coated with lemon curd for the lemon curd cupcakes

See how the spoon is coated with lemon curd? When the curd clings to the spoon enough that you can run your finger through it without the line filling in, it’s done. The lemon curd will still seem a little runny, but it thickens as it cools.

A tip for making lemon curd: be sure to cover your curd with plastic wrap as soon as you scrape it into a bowl to cool. Otherwise your curd will develop a skin on top, and nobody wants that.

Other than the lemon curd, these cupcakes are very straight-forward to make. They’re just an extra-moist vanilla cupcake with a flavor boost from lemon zest.

lemon curd cupcakes on a wire baking rack with a piping bag filled with lemon curd filling one of the cupcakes

To fill them, use a sharp paring knife to cut a hole about 1 inch across and 1 inch deep in the cupcakes.  DON’T FORGET to reserve the cake you cut out.  

Spoon or pipe the cooled lemon curd into the holes, then replace the cake in the holes to form a sort of plug.  Then you’re ready to frost them!

If you love lemon like I do, then you need these sweet-tart lemon curd cupcakes soon. They’re sunshine in dessert form!

A few more cupcake recipes
Nutella Cupcakes
Gluten-free Coconut Cupcakes
Zucchini Cupcakes

lemon curd cupcake on a plate with lemon curd oozing out

Don’t forget: If you make these cupcakes–or any IBK recipes–let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below. And post a pic on Insta too—tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!  For more recipes and fun, like us on Facebook and follow along on Pinterest!

5 from 1 vote
lemon curd cupcakes on a wire baking rack and topped with frosting
Print
Lemon Curd Cupcakes
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Cooling time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 55 mins
 
Lemon curd cupcakes are filled with homemade lemon curd and topped with sweet, creamy lemon frosting.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Lemon curd:
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • zest of 3 lemons
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice from 3 to 4 lemons
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into 8 chunks
Lemon cupcakes:
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 8 ounces full-fat sour cream
  • zest of 1 lemon
Lemon buttercream:
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup lemon curd recipe above
Instructions
Lemon curd:
  1. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined and smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler set over just simmering water. Stir until mixture is light yellow and thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon—about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring to melt each pat of butter before adding the next.
  2. Scrape into a clean mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled, or up to 2 weeks.
Lemon cupcakes:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 16 muffin cups with cupcake liners and set pans aside.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to medium speed until very creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour. (It will go flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour.) Fold in the lemon zest; batter will be very thick.
  4. Fill the prepared muffin cups with about 1/4 cup of batter and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before filling and frosting.
Lemon buttercream:
  1. Beat the butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until very creamy. Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and the salt. Mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat in the lemon curd. Turn mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Add more milk if frosting is too thick and more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
  2. Assembly:
  3. Use a small paring knife to cut a hole in the center of each cupcake, about 1 inch across and 1 inch deep—reserve the cake you pull out of the holes. Spoon the remaining lemon curd into a pastry bag or large zip-top plastic bag and pipe the curd into the cupcakes. Slice the bottom off the the cake “plugs” you cut out of the cupcakes, and place one on top of the curd in each cupcake.
  4. Frost the filled cupcakes with the lemon buttercream and serve.

Adapted from Peace Meals

Comments

  1. Sandy says

    5 stars
    These were great! I made them for a potluck and they went fast. I’ll make them again and might try buying the lemon curd next time to save a little time. Probably won’t be as tasty though.

    Reply

  5. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

    Let’s say it this way. I love decadent and rich desserts more, so lemony things will be somewhere 5 on a dessert scale. But if we are talking about fruit dessers, lemon ones will be 10, along with cherries. And these cupcakes? They’re spectacular. You’re the Queen of Cupcakes, Kelsie!

    Reply

  6. kitchenriffs says

    How is eating the lemon frosting with a spoon an actual problem? 🙂 This looks great — love lemon. Thanks!

    Reply

  9. Ashika | Gardening Foodie says

    Definitely with you on the love for lemon desserts Kelsie. Everything about lemon desserts with the colour and flavour is just so good. This recipe is definitely going to be added to my lemon addicion section in my recipe file
    ( what, doesn’t everybody have that section in their recipe collection 🙂
    These cupcakes really look beautiful and perfect for Summer or to brighten up a dull day. Thank you for sharing Kelsie. Have a great week 🙂

    Reply

  10. crumbtopbaking says

    These are absolutely sunshine in cupcake form! Next to carrot cake, lemon desserts are on the top of my list. Lemon squares, lemon meringue pie and lemon cake are all favourites of mine! Now I need to add these cupcakes to the list. They look amazing Kelsie! Happy Monday!

    Reply

  12. hummingbirdthyme says

    My mouth is watering, Kelsie! I love lemon curd so much, I always have an “emergency jar” on hand. Might have to make some more for these adorable cupcakes! I’m also a 10-infinity lemon lover! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  14. annie@ciaochowbambina says

    I find that the older I get the more I want lemon in my life! These will surely hit the spot!! Wonderful!

    Reply

  15. Milena Perrine says

    The words ‘lemon curd’ have such a great ring to me! I love the stuff so much that anything stuffed with lemon curds becomes an instant favorite. Pinned! And cheers with a glass of citrus white sangria, these babies will make a perfect partner!

    Reply

  16. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    OMGeeee!! These are like lemon cupcakes of champions!!! Seriously, I can’t get enough of that tart lemon flavor, so I am all sorts of swooning over these cupcakes, girlfriend!!!! Lemon curd AND lemon buttercream!?!? All the yaass!! Cheers!  

    Reply

  17. David @ Spiced says

    Lemon curd with a skin on top? No thanks! So I share your love for lemon desserts…especially in the spring and summer months. I don’t know what it is, but come about April each year I start craving lemon like it’s nobody’s business. I say it’s my body’s way of avoiding scurvy. 🙂 So using that logic, eating these lemon curd cupcakes is a way to stay healthy, right? Oh, and have I mentioned that I love logic games? Hah!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Nobody wants skin on their lemon curd right? Love the tip about avoiding scurvy–sounds like I need to have another cupcake or two 🙂 Thanks, David!

      Reply

  18. Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says

    I think I’m with you – LOVE LOVE LOVE lemon desserts. I wasn’t always that way, but now I can’t get enough and even prefer of chocolate! These look divine Kelsie! Love that lemony centre! Have a wonderful week, my friend 🙂

    Reply

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