Small Batch Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Hello sweet friends, happy Wednesday! Long time no recipe! No seriously – it’s been nearly three months since I last shared a recipe with you! How has it already been three months since these Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits? Bizarre! Anyways, don’t worry, I’m here today with these little cuties: Small Batch Lemon Curd Cupcakes. Six darling lemon cupcakes, filled with a homemade lemon curd, and topped with a quick vanilla frosting. That’s right, a recipe for just six frosted cupcakes! Cupcakes, I hear you thinking? Hasn’t their time passed? Heck! No! I’m here to argue the case for a good cupcake! They’re just as delicious as a layer cake, but far less fussy. Shall we?

I first whipped these up for a besties birthday a little while back, and I’m pleased to say that they were very well received! So well received, in fact, that Fiancé insisted I make another batch just a few short days later – which we devoured rapidly. Take that as your government health warning. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

what are lemon curd cupcakes?

Okay, let me talk you through these cupcake cuties.

• it all starts with this easy peasy lemon cupcake base. The batter is lightly spiked with the juice from half a lemon, so they’re not overwhelmingly lemony, but not just vanilla either. You might think there isn’t entirely enough batter to make six cupcakes, but you would be wrong. There is exactly JUST the right amount of batter, so be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl extra good – we’re using every last morsel! The resulting bake is pleasingly flat, with a light & crumbly texture.

• to bring the lemoniness to the next level, the cupcakes are stuffed with lemon curd. Is too much lemon a bad thing? I think not. Once the cupcakes are cooled, you scoop a small spoonful out of the centre – a little baker’s snack – and then proceed to fill the hole with lemon curd. I used homemade Dreamy Lemon Curd because it’s the finest curd I’ve ever tasted, but you can use store-bought if you want. Alternatively, a little jam – cherry or blueberry would be particularly good, I imagine! – might be more your style. You do you.

• to finish them off, they’re topped with a quick vanilla frosting. I turned to the OG baking queen, Joy, for this recipe, and it’s gloriously simple and addictively fluffy. Icing sugar, butter, a little vanilla, and a dash of milk all come together to make a light yet buttery frosting. Similarly to the batter making JUST six cupcakes, this makes JUST enough frosting to cover said cupcakes. I topped my frosted cupcakes with a little gold leaf to make them sparkle, but you could use sprinkles or maybe even food coloring if you we’re feeling a little wild.

That’s all there is to it! I just know you’re going to love them, friends.

Happy baking! xo

Small Batch Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Light & fluffy lemon cupcakes, filled with homemade lemon curd, and topped with an easy vanilla buttercream.

Yield: 6 cupcakes

Author: Vicki @ Passionate Baker Travels

INGREDIENTS

for the cupcakes

• 112 g salted butter, at room temperature

• 112 g caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 115 g self-raising flour

• 1 tbsp full-fat milk

for the filling

• 6 tsp lemon curd

for the frosting

• 120 g icing sugar, sifted

• 36 g salted butter, at room temperature

• 1 tbsp full-fat milk

• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract

• gold leaf, to decorate (optional)

DIRECTIONS

for the cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 180°C, and line a muffin tray with six cupcake liners. If using a standard muffin tray with 12 spaces, I like to use the six in the middle.

• In a medium bowl, use an electric whisk to beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

• Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, and scrape down the sides.

• Sift the flour into the bowl and use a spatula to gently fold it through. Add the milk and incorporate fully.

• Evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden & a skewer inserted into the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tray for 10-minutes before moving to a wire rack to clean completely.

for the frosting

• In a small bowl, use an electric whisk to combine the icing sugar and butter. Add the milk and vanilla extract to the bowl, and slowly beat together. Turn the mixer to high & beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. If the consistency becomes too loose, pop it into the fridge for a minute.

to assemble

• When the cupcakes are completely cool, cut a small hole from the centre of each – baker's perk!

• Fill each of the holes with 1-teaspoon of lemon curd, or enough to bring it up to reach to top of the cupcake. Using an offset spatula or a spoon, top the cupcakes with the buttercream frosting. Use a small brush to apply a light sprinkle of gold leaf to each cupcake, if desired. Enjoy!

NOTES

• I used homemade lemon curd – find the recipe here. 

• frosting recipe from Joy the Baker. It makes jusstttt enough to cover all six cupcakes, so be sure to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl! 

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Please leave a comment & a rating below, or tag me on Instagram @imvcki. Thank you so much for supporting Passionate Baker!

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Lime & Lemon Curd Ice Cream

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