Honey Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
I had a request for Lemon cupcakes recently and it got me to thinking: “what flavors would really compliment a lemon cupcake?” I decided that a honey based cupcake would really make the lemon flavor pop. I created what I feel to be the perfect lemon cream cheese frosting. I paired both lemon extract and lemon juice to give it an extra pop. This frosting is incredible and would go perfectly with just about any cupcake you might make.My Mom had given me a jar of lemon curd that she had received as a present. She doesn’t bake much and wanted to make sure it got used. I decided that this would be the absolute perfect filling for these cupcakes! Since I didn’t make this myself I don’t have a recipe, but if you decide to make this there are many recipes you can find on the internet.
Since these cupcakes have honey in them I adapted the recipe so that they cook at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This will keep the cupcakes from browning unevenly. Baked goods with honey tend to brown faster than baked goods without it. Because of this you will want to remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin as soon as they are cool enough to handle. This will keep them from browning further in the pan after the baking time has finished.
Honey Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:For Cupcakes:5 Tablespoons Oil¾ Cup Sugar2 Eggs½ Cup Buttermilk¼ Cup Honey1 Teaspoon Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Tablespoon Lemon Juice1 ½ Cup FlourFor Filling:Lemon CurdFor Frosting:4oz Butter8oz Cream Cheese2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Teaspoon Lemon JuiceHoney for drizzlingTo make the cupcakes:Preheat the oven to 325 and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set the muffin tin on an aluminum baking sheet.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the oil and sugar until combined. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is full of bubbles.Beat in the buttermilk, honey, baking powder, salt, extracts and lemon juice. Beat until well combined.
Add the flour and beat on high until there are no lumps.Using a ¼ Cup measuring cup spoon the batter into the prepared liners.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven.As soon as the cupcakes are cool enough to handle remove them from the baking pan and set on a wire rack to finish cooling.To fill the cupcakes:Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before moving on to this step.
Using one of these methods fill the cupcakes with the lemon curd.To make the frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined.Slowly add in the lemon extract and lemon juice, beat into the mixture.Add the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time to the mixture. Beat on high once everything has been added until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.
Using a piping bag fitted with a tip frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with honey to finish.
[amd-yrecipe-recipe:35]
Source: Cake adapted from The Cake Blog