Bakery-Style Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling Recipe
These bakery-style lemon cupcakes are moist and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with a creamy lemon cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, these cupcakes make a delightful treat for any occasion with a beautiful edible daisy garnish for a charming presentation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (or milk with ½ tablespoon vinegar added)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Filling
- ⅓ cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Garnish
- Edible daisy
- Extra lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners for easy removal and cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set this mixture aside to keep dry ingredients ready for combining.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a large mixing bowl and a mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cupcake texture.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, making sure to mix well after each addition to fully incorporate and build structure.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract into the batter. Then pour in the buttermilk and mix gently until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, folding gently until just combined. Overmixing here could make the cupcakes dense, so mix carefully.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each roughly two-thirds full to allow space for rising.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. You can test doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center—it should come out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Core and Fill: After the cupcakes are fully cooled, use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove a small section from the center of each cupcake. Fill these cavities with lemon curd for a burst of lemon flavor inside.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth in a bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar while beating, then mix in lemon juice and lemon zest until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost Cupcakes: Using a spoon or spatula, spread the lemon cream cheese frosting generously over each cupcake.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the frosted cupcakes with extra lemon zest as desired and top each with an edible daisy for a beautiful finish. Serve and enjoy these delightful lemon treats!
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best bright lemon flavor.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with regular milk plus ½ tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Cupcakes are best enjoyed on the same day but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling and frosting to prevent melting.
- You can make homemade lemon curd in advance or use quality store-bought lemon curd.
Keywords: lemon cupcakes, lemon curd filling, cream cheese frosting, bakery-style cupcakes, lemon dessert, homemade cupcakes
