Dive into a burst of sunshine this summer with these soft and fluffy lemon cupcakes!! Filled with homemade lemon curd and topped with sweet and tangy lemon curd buttercream frosting. It's a party for your taste buds!

They’re super easy to make. Life's too short for bland treats so grab a friend and bake up some happiness!

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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE  CUPCAKES?

• Easy to make!
• They are super soft, light and fluffy in texture. Fresh homemade lemon curd filling in the centre makes them even more moist and drool-worthy.
• The assembled cupcake is a complete show-stopper! Perfect for any occasion like birthday parties, or tea parties.

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INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

Here are the key ingredients required to make these cupcakes. Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients with their exact quantities. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

For Lemon Cupcakes

• Plain Flour/All-purpose flour
• Corn flour/corn starch: It is used to lighten up the plain flour which makes the cupcakes extra soft.
• Caster sugar or superfine sugar: I used caster sugar. If you can’t find caster sugar, you can make it at home. Simply pulse-blend the granulated sugar in your coffee grinder or food processor until the texture is super fine like fine sand but not powdery. It needs only 2-3 quick pulses.    
• Unsalted butter and vegetable oil
• Eggs
• Baking powder
• Salt: A little bit of salt is used to balance the sweetness.
• Fresh Lemon juice & zest: In this recipe, both lemon zest and juice are used to give these cupcakes a strong burst of zesty flavour. Using a zester make sure to peel only the outer yellow part of the lemon and not the white part as it's bitter in taste.

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For Homemade Lemon Curd

To make an easy homemade lemon curd check out our blog post for complete instructions and ingredients here! If you are using store-bought lemon curd, you will need 1 cup + 2 tbsp for the recipe.

For Lemon Curd Buttercream

• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature, It means, it should be softened enough so that when you press it with your finger applying a little pressure, it will leave a dent. Always use unsalted butter so you can control and adjust the amount of salt to suit your taste. You can add more salt to taste if needed. Use good quality butter because it has a high percentage of fat and low water content. I used Lurpak.
• Icing sugar/powdered sugar: For smooth and creamy frosting, always sift it out before using.
• Lemon juice

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EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

• Electric handheld mixer or stand mixer
• 12 cup muffin tin
• Large mixing bowl
• Piping bag and nozzle (Wilton 4B)

PRO TIPS TO MAKE PERFECT LEMON CURD CUPCAKES!

Although these cupcakes are incredibly easy to make, there are a few important things that you should keep in mind to get excellent results!

• Measure your flour correctly to get the best results. The best way to measure the flour is by using a digital scale but if you don’t have that one, use proper measuring cups and spoons.  Spoon the flour into the measuring cup then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
• Always use room temperature ingredients to keep an even consistency of the batter like eggs, butter, and milk.
• Always use fresh lemon for zest and juice to get more intense and pure flavour.
• Make the lemon sugar! This step is very important because most of the flavour in a lemon comes from the very outside of the zest. So when lemon oil in the zest is mixed with sugar, it enhances the flavour. Using a zester zest a whole lemon. Don’t go too far while zesting it. Rotate it while grating the lemon as you don’t want the white part of the lemon because it's bitter in taste. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar (about 1 minute). Lemon zest-infused sugar is ready. Set aside to infuse completely for a few minutes.
• To make the batter mixture well-mixed, add flour and milk alternatively.
• To get the proper top, fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 full otherwise they will overflow.
• For frosting, soften butter to room temperature to get the best results. It should be soft to touch but not melted.
• To get silky smooth frosting, sift the icing sugar before use. It should be added in batches.
• To make the frosting light and airy, cream the butter first (2-3 minutes) then add icing sugar in batches and mix until it’s nice and creamy.

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FAQ

Can I Make Cupcakes In Advance?

Yes, You can bake them one day in advance. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pop them in the fridge. They will stay fresh and moist.

How To Store Lemon Curd Cupcakes?

These cupcakes remain moist and fresh for up to 4-5 days in the fridge if you keep them in an airtight container. You can also freeze them without frosting for up to 1-2 months. Separately wrap them in cling wrap then keep them in a zip lock bag and freeze. Take them out to thaw for 1 hour to bring them to room temperature before decorating them.

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Can I Make This Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting a Day Ahead And How To Store It?

Yes, you can make it a day ahead! Put it in an airtight container and pop in the fridge. To bring the frosting to its original consistency, bring it back to room temperature and beat it again with your mixer on low speed.

This frosting can be stored at room temperature for several hours before you use it. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days (in an airtight container). Just bring it to room temperature before you use it. You can even freeze it for 1-2 months. Put it in an airtight container and freeze it. Bring to room temperature before use. If the frosting looks grainy, add 1 tsp of lemon curd or whipping cream and give it a good mix with a mixer until it becomes smooth and fluffy.

I hope that you'll try this recipe and you'll love them as much as my family and I do! If you make this recipe then be sure to tag @kaotickrunch on Instagram. We'd love to see your creations!

Happy baking and eating! 😊