Vanilla cupcakes filled with a tangy lemon curd, perfect for spring!
For the cupcakes:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
2. Cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well, stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into the cupcake liners.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick.
For the lemon curd:
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/4 cup of butter, cut into pieces
1. Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat, cook until the butter melts and the mixture is hot
2. Lower the heat, whisking constantly allowing it to thicken. Do not let it boil! Cook until it has the consistency of custard.
3. Remove from heat, strain into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool.
For the frosting:
• 1 – 8 ounce bar of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectionary sugar
1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add vanilla extract and confectionary sugar.
Assembly:
When the cupcakes are cool, fill a pastry bag with the lemon curd – for this I used an Ateco round standard piping tip #10. Insert the tip about 1/2″ into the top of the cupcake, and give the bag a good squeeze! When you’ve filled all the cupcakes, fill a second pastry bag with the cream cheese frosting. I used an Ateco #848 closed star decorating tip, because it’s the only large tip I have that hasn’t fallen victim to my garbage disposal. Frost. You now have 12 lemony good cupcakes. Enjoy!
