I’ve been so disappointed the last couple of months because I keep missing out on the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop. I don’t know how I miss it (must have had something to do with buying a house and going overseas the last two months) but this month I am in.
Even if you don’t know what I’m talking about I’m sure you’ve assumed something with ‘sweet adventures’ in the name is bound to be good and you will have assumed correctly.
Each month, food bloggers from across the world (well at least I think, might just be us Aussies) gather and share our sweet goodies related to the month’s theme, chosen by the host. This month it’s a Sweet Surprise hosted by Love SWAH.
My recipe – lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling – is extra special because it’s the first recipe featuring lemons picked from my very own lemon tree! I went all out in lemony goodness – lemon pound cake cupcakes, which would make a rather tasty loaf cake just on their own, are filled with homemade lemon curd, topped with lemon buttercream icing and finished with a sprinkling of lemon zest.
You would think one bite and you’d be making a face like you’d just sucked a sour warhead (anyone remember those?) but it’s not like that at all. The sweetness of the icing and the cake provides a nice balance for all that lemony goodness, I promise.
What’s the surprise? The blob of lemon curd hidden underneath the lemon buttercream icing. I’m very glad that I gave most of these away because I fear they would have all ended up in my stomach otherwise. You can use store-bought lemon curd if you like but I encourage you to try making is using Celia’s microwave recipe. It’s so very easy and quick to make. I fear I’ll be making rather often now I have a constant supply of lemons. Enjoy!
Lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling
Ingredients
Cakes
- 250g (8oz) butter
- 250g (8oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 50g almond meal
Filling
Icing
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Extra lemon zest for decoration
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F) fan-forced and line two 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake liners.
- In a food processor, process the butter, sugar and lemon zest until smooth.
- Add the egg, one at at time and mix them through.
- Scrape down the sides then add the flour and almond meal and process until smooth (you may need to scrape down the sides again so there are no dry parts).
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling make the icing.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and lemon zest together until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the icing sugar, pour in the lemon juice and increase the speed.
- Keep beating until the icing is light and fluffy.
- If the icing is too thick, add a little milk or water to thin it so you can pip it.
- When the cake have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut a cone-shaped hole in the top of each of the cupcakes.
- Spoon a half a teaspoon of lemon curd on each one.
- Using a piping bag, pipe icing on top of the cakes to cover the lemon curd.
- Sprinkle with extra lemon zest.
Can you freeze these cupcakes? I’ve never tried it but I’ve read you can freeze buttercream and lemon curd so I am hoping.
Yes I don’t see why not. You might like to try freezing the cupcakes and lemon filling separate, then once it comes time to defrosting the cupcakes add the filling in then to ensure they don’t go too soggy in the defrosting process. Good luck!
Do these need to be refrigerated if you’re not serving them right away?
Yes that would be best Becky
reviving an old thread :p
i made these over the weekend for friends and family and oh my were these lemon curd cupcakes delicious and popular. everyone loved it. felt like i was in heaven after that first bite and was so sad towards that last bite :p just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing this awesome and yummy treat with the rest of us and i will definitely be making these again.
Oh Cathy I know the feeling of sadness as you get to the end of something delicious. At least with cupcakes there are usually more? You’re very welcome and I’m glad they were a hit.
Hi Claire,
I’m just a bit curious to why you use almond meal in this recipe?
Usually you see almond meal and raspberries together?
Hi Chloe. No particular reason other than I thought I’d give it a go! You could add a raspberry on top that would be quite delicious!
Hi Claire,
Just wondering if I could use oranges to make this recipe?
Hi Claire. You sure can!
Stumbled on this when I was looking for inspiration for what to do with some leftover lemon curd I made. Looks fantastic – I’ll give it a go this weekend. your photography is lovely, though living in the UK, I’m green (yellow?) with envy about the idea of having a lemon or lime tree!
Thanks so much Joanna! Haha yes you can be yellow with envy. I was so excited when I realised we had one!
I’ve been toying with getting myself a lemon tree :) you’ve inspired me! They look great!
Do it Nic!
lemon is so refreshing, I love it in summer sweets!
Isn’t it! Give me anything lemon flavoured and I’m happy!
It looks like great minds think alike ;)
I love your cupcakes… it makes me wish I had some of my own left still :)
They do indeed GG!
These look delicious! My mum has heaps of lemon and lime trees and we’re always trying to come up with new ways of using the hundreds of lemons they seem to produce. I love lemon curd to putting it in a cupcake sounds like an excellent idea!
Definitely Liz. I’m sure they’d be quite delicious in a lime version too.
I love your cupcakes. Anything with lemon curd would make me happy!
Well I know what to make when you visit Maureen!
I love sour warheads! I’ve made a similar cupcake when our lime tree went berserk last year. They were delicious!
I just loved watching people eat them. Oh so hilarious!
OMG they are adorable!! Love the cross section pic! And Swah seems so lovely too :D
Thanks Lorraine!
These look fabulous Claire. I adore lemon curd. A lovely way to enjoy some of your home grown lemons :)
Thanks Kyrstie!
I’m 100% sure those are delicious. After all, they look already lovely and I have tasted some sweet treats with a lemon curd filling before. However, I guess if I have to wait until my lemon tree bears some fruits, I would never manage to make my own lemon curd.
Thanks Chris! I’m sure you could make your own curd with Celia’s recipe. It’s super easy!
So glad you were able to join us this month! Mostly Aussies but a few from around the world ;D Lemon is one of my favourite flavours and these sound simply perfect – and even better that they are from your own tree!
Me too JJ! Let’s hope I don’t forget next month!
Yum. My lemon tree is laden at the moment, so I might just have to give these a go. Thanks.
You’re very welcome Tania I hope you like them!
Claire, thank you for the shout-out, very kind of you, as I think you make the lemon curd more often than I do these days! :) And it HAS to be better now it’s made with your own lemons! We’re finally getting lemons this year on our tree, and it’s been such a joy! xx
No Celia thank you for the recipe! I probably do! Oh so delicious. I just saw your lemons on instagram. How exciting!
Oh these look absolutely divine, I almost want to lick my screen! I love lemon cupcakes and the thought of biting into a lemon curd-filled one…. yum! And may I ask where did you get your cute mini cupcake stand from?
Of course you may. Hate to disappoint you though… it’s from NYC.