One of my favourites flavours to bake with after chocolate has got to be lemon. I've made these Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling multiple times and I'm so glad I've finally got round to sharing the recipe with you! Everything about these cupcakes is lemon, from the lemon zest infused sponge, to the sweet lemon flavoured buttercream and of course the gooey lemon curd centre. I've used all yellow decorations to let everyone know that these cupcakes are all about lemon!
How to make Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling...
I started by creaming together the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Then I added the eggs and whisked them in, then whisked in the self raising flour.
I separated the batter between 12 yellow cupcake cases in a cupcake tin. And I baked them for 20-25 minutes until they were golden brown.
Once they were fully cool I used a cupcake corer to make a hole in the middle of each cupcake. I filled the holes with lemon curd.
To make the buttercream I mixed together the icing sugar, butter and lemon extract until it was smooth. I piped it onto the cupcakes using a Wilton 2D nozzle.
I added jelly lemon slices and yellow hundred and thousands to decorate the lemon cupcakes.
These lemon cupcakes are absolute lemon heaven! The lemon curd that oozes out when you take a bite is definitely the best bit, but the light sponge and sweet buttercream are pretty darn tasty too!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
| Cupcake tin | Electric hand mixer | Piping bags |
| Cupcake corer | Lemon extract | Zester |
| Lemon Curd | Jem 1E Piping nozzle | Yellow cupcake cases |
| Jelly lemon slices |
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More lemon recipes...
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| Lemon Rainbow Cake | Triple Lemon Cake | Lemon Meringue Cupcakes |
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| Lemon Curd Cheesecake | Lemon Meringue Dessert Pots | Lemon Curd & White Chocolate Bread Rolls |
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| Lemon Baked Donuts | Lemon Meringue Pie |
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 175 g Butter
- 175 g Caster sugar
- 2 Lemons zested
- 3 Eggs large
- 175 g Self raising flour
- 200 g Lemon curd good quality shop bought or homemade
For the buttercream
- 200 g Butter or Baking spread
- 400 g Icing sugar
- 2 tsp Lemon extract
For decoration
- Yellow 100s and 1000s optional
- Lemon jelly slices optional
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a muffin tin with 12 yellow cupcake cases (if you can't find yellow ones any colour will do)
- Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy
- Add the eggs one at a time and whisk them in throughly, then gently whisk in the self raising flour
- Separate the batter between the cupcake cases
- Bake them for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean, leave them on a cooling rack to fully cool
- Use a cupcake corer or a knife to make a hole in the middle of each cupcake
- Fill the holes with lemon curd. You can do this using a spoon or put the lemon curd into a small piping bag, snip the end off and pipe it in
- To make the buttercream mix together the icing sugar and butter using an electric hand whisk or food mixer until they start to come together, then add the lemon extract and mix until smooth
- Put the buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D nozzle, or other nozzle of your choice and pipe it onto the cupcakes
- Decorate with jelly lemon slices and yellow hundred and thousands, or any sprinkles of your choice
- Store in an airtight container in a cool place, eat leftovers within 3 days
Video
Nutrition
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Jacqui Bellefontaine
Oh yes Im with you love all things lemon. These cupcakes really are my cup of tea . Thank you for sharing on #CookBlogShare
thebakingexplorer
Thanks Jacqui - lemon is so tasty!
Mick
I was lucky enough to try one of these at the weekend.
Unbelievably nice cupcake!
I'd definitely visit more often if I knew there would be cake this good waiting for me.
thebakingexplorer
I'm so glad you enjoyed them Mick! There's (almost) always cake at our house!
Amit
Thanks for the cakes this weekend! The lemony middle was amazing - Funnily enough I'm eat more of your cake now 🙂
thebakingexplorer
You are very welcome! And I have no doubt you'll be back for more 😀
CakePants
These look wonderful - I love the surprise center of lemon curd and the lemon candies on top! It's hard to imagine a more lemon-packed dessert. Yum!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you! That is exactly what I was aiming for 😀
jenny paulin
I love lemon cake - my mum does too, so she would also be very happy to taste one of these. They look so fresh and pretty and what a lovely zesty filling inside too!
Thanks for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
thebakingexplorer
Thanks Jenny! The zesty filling is the best surprise!
Milena | Craft Beering
You are not joking around! My husband is obsessed with lemon anything baked. I hope I can replicate these (I mean they are just so perfect) and will pair them with a Hefeweizen. Pinned!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Milena! I hope you and your husband enjoy them!
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
I love a full on lemon cake Kate - and that you made it abundantly clear these were lemon cupcakes with the decoration right down to the yellow cupcake cases 🙂 Attention to detail, love it 😀
Angela x
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Angela! Haha yes I didn't leave anything to guesswork!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Oh Wow!!! These look simply irresistible they look so pretty too. They have been featured in my CookBlogShare round up this week and I hope to see you there this week x
thebakingexplorer
Thanks so much for featuring me!!
Kris
What size are your cupcake liners? Top Diameter, Bottom Diameter & Height in cm??
thebakingexplorer
Hi, I think I answered you on instagram, but just to confirm they are 50mm wide and 38mm tall 🙂
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder
That lemon curd gorgeousness oozing out and generally all that lemon! Perfection and so pretty too! x
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Jo!
Petra
Such pretty cupcakes! Lemon is always a favorite. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday 🙂
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Petra! It's a big favourite of mine too 🙂
James
Another very satisfied customer of these cakes here! Brilliantly explained but I'm sure I couldn't make them as well as the author...
thebakingexplorer
Thank you James! I'm sure you could make them just as delicious!
Julie
I never used to be a big lemon fan, but now I love it. These look so yummy! I bet the lemon curd is the best part. Mmm...
thebakingexplorer
I'm so glad you enjoy lemon now, it really is delicious, and yes especially the lemon curd!
Kate - gluten free alchemist
Filled Cupcakes are always exciting, but lemon curd in the middle has to be yummy!
Your cupcakes always look so perfect! x
Alice Marian phelan
Thank you for sharing .I have been looking for years for a perfect lemon cupcakes.this is the star element
A keeper.love the attention to detail.love the surprise in the middle.thank you so much
Isabel
I've made these several times and everyone always loves them! Such a brilliant recipe and fairly easy and quick to make, depending on how fussy you are with the piping of course 🙂 I'll definitely be using this recipe time and time again.
Isabel
Oops, forgot the five stars 🙂
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Isabel! This is one of my favourties too 😀
Keely Raynor
This recipe worked amazingly and my fussy husband loved the cupcakes ? wouldn't hesitate to make again. Thank you!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you so much Keely!
Amber
Hi amazing recipe! But I can't seem to print, how can I do this?
thebakingexplorer
Hi, thank you! There is a grey button at the top of the page that says print recipe, so you can click that. Or in the recipe card, underneath the small photo and the black stars, there is a print option you can click. I hope that helps!
Susan Pretorius
We had one left yesterday and decided to keep it for a little girl who was going to visit us - not because we really wanted too but my husband and I were both willing to fight for it. Thought it was better for the marriage to give it away, as sharing with each other wasn't really an option we considered
thebakingexplorer
This is hilarious Susan! I'm glad my cupcakes weren't responsible for a broken marriage!! 😀
Jacqueline Ley
Tried these for my nephew and he loved them so much, I'm baking them today for his 14th Birthday.
I find a melon ball cutter works well if you don't have a cupcake corer.
Five star cakes!
Thank you for sharing!
thebakingexplorer
Thanks so much Jacqueline, I'm so pleased to hear your nephew loves the cupcakes, and what a great tip about the melon baller!
Harriet Kaczmarczuk
Please could I ask for the cup depth and diameter of the cupcake pan you use please? Thanks
thebakingexplorer
I use this one: https://amzn.to/2HE3AvQ And the amazon description states "Cavities: 7.6cm diameter x 2.5cm (3in diameter x 1in)" Hope that helps!
Lisa D
I’ve made these cup cakes a number of times and they always come out beautifully, a firm family favourite!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you Lisa, I'm so pleased to heae this!
Lynne Carver
Hiya 🙂 Could the lemon buttercream be made with the juice of the two zested lemons - to save them going to waste? If so, what qtys of butter and icing sugar would you recommend? Thanks
thebakingexplorer
Hi Lynne, it could but the flavour wouldn't be as strong because you wouldn't be able to add much lemon juice otherwise it will make the buttercream too sloppy. If you'd like some ideas for using up lemon juice check out recipe list for using up zested citrus fruits: https://thebakingexplorer.com/zested-lemons-limes/
Donna Palmer
Should there be baking powder in this recipe please?
thebakingexplorer
Hi Donna, there is no need for baking powder as the recipe uses self raising flour which has baking powder mixed into it already when you buy it. If you don't have access to self raising flour, you can use plain/all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder.