Lemon Curd Filled Lemon Cupcakes
I always love lemon, but spring and summertime make me crave it even more. These Lemon Curd Filled Lemon Cupcakes are perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day or any old day for a refreshing spring or summertime dessert!
I’m not a big fan of buttercream icing, but I am a huge fan of lemon curd, so I not only filled the cupcakes with lemon curd … but I topped them with it too, and then sprinkled a little sugar on top. I also created a Lemon Curd-Infused Lemon Icing you may want to try, if you prefer a more traditional icing or want to make a couple different options.
I like the subtle lemon flavor of these cupcakes and could eat them by themselves. They have a gentle lemon taste before you fill (and then top them) with the homemade lemon curd. And then they are WOW with the lemon curd. 🙂
BONUS – the entire recipe is dairy-free, with NO compromise on taste.
For the filling and topping, click here for my Homemade Lemon Curd recipe.
Lemon cookies, lemon tarts, lemon cupcakes, lemon curd — bring it all on this spring and summer!
Lemon Curd Filled Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 batch Kitchen Gone Rogue homemade lemon curd (on the blog at www.kitchengonerogue.com)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (you can use real butter if you prefer and don't have a dairy allergy or intolerance)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice (juice a little extra when you make the lemon curd and set aside)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (zest an extra teaspoon when you make the lemon curd and set aside)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup almond milk (I use original, unsweetened)
Instructions
- Make the lemon curd - get the recipe at https://www.kitchengonerogue.com/dairy-free-homemade-lemon-curd/
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Cream together the sugar and butter (I use my mixer, but you can do with handheld electric beaters or by hand)
- Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest; mix well.
- Add the flour and baking powder; mix well.
- Stir in the almond milk slowly, until the batter is smooth.
- Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full
- Bake 19-20 minutes (varies by oven, so watch them and adjust for yours until toothpick comes out clean; tops of cupcakes get slightly crunchy in my oven - we love that about this recipe).
- Let cool.
- Use a cupcake "core" tool to pullout the center of your cupcake (note: dip in cornstarch between cupcakes to make it easier).
- Using the fat side of a chopstick, gently push the core of the cupcake out of the tool and into a bowl to save.
- Fill each cupcake with lemon curd, then gently "plug" the top with the top of the cupcake core you saved (note - you can skip this step, but your cupcakes may develop a sunken area in the middle without it)
- "Ice" the tops with lemon curd and then sprinkle the tops with a little granulated sugar ... and enjoy! (note: if you prefer a more traditional but lemony icing, check out my lemon curd-infused icing recipe)
