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Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese

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Delicious lemon cupcakes topped with silky smooth cream cheese frosting rippled with lemon curd. These Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting are a lemon lover’s dream!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting

Baking Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese frosting for a special occasion

I am not the biggest fan of baking for occasions. The added pressure stresses me out! However my Mum and Sister had big birthdays within two weeks of each other and decided to throw a party.

They asked me to bake a cake for them. Well that’s what it started off as. Fast forward a few weeks and a few practice cakes and it turned into a cake and two types of cupcakes. 

How lemon-y do you like your lemon cupcakes?

If I’m making lemon cupcakes, I want them to taste like lemon. I would recommend to add at least the zest of one lemon.

As you can’t guarantee the size of lemons, if you have a small lemon you may need to add more than this. 

You can also adapt the amount of lemon curd you add to the cream cheese frosting. With this, you can always taste as you go though. 

Why cream cheese frosting & not buttercream?

If you follow my blog, you will know that I am not really a fan of buttercream. Neither are my family, so we are all odd together!

I would always much prefer to have cream cheese frosting. It is definitely my favourite filling or topping for cakes.

I think it works especially well with the lemon flavour as the creaminess cuts through the tartness of the lemon.

Which cream cheese is recommended?

Cream cheese or soft cheese is an essential in my fridge. I always have a couple of tubs in there.

For making frostings, you have to use full fat cream cheese. No ifs buts or maybes. It has to be full fat.

If you use reduced fat cream cheese the fat content is obviously lower so it becomes looser. This is definitely not what you are looking for in a frosting.

Even using full fat cream cheese, the frosting isn’t as firm as buttercream so you definitely don’t want to risk using reduced fat cream cheese.

Which lemon curd is best to use?

I always have a jar of lemon curd in the fridge. It is one of my favourite go-to ingredients that adds a delicious, instant lemon flavour to so many recipes.

A really good quality lemon curd does make a difference in my opinion so buy a good one if you can.

I am yet to make my own lemon curd but it is on my to-do list! I would recommend FabFood4All’s Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd for step my step instructions on how to make your own. 

Lemon curd cream cheese frosting Piping tips

As I already mentioned cream cheese frosting isn’t as firm as buttercream.

This means it is more difficult to pipe in my opinion. Because of this, I like to keep my piping as simple as possible to avoid any issues.

If you were to use a piping nozzle with any form of pattern, it wouldn’t hold up and would spread and loose any resemblance of the pattern.

So whenever I am piping cream cheese frosting, I always play it safe and use a wide round piping nozzle.

When piping these cupcakes I start in the middle and gradually lift up applying an even pressure to get a lovely round mound of icing.

How to decorate these cupcakes

You can decorate these Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting however you like.

Personally I really like to decorate them with a mini meringue and a some of edible gold sprinkles.

You could keep it even more simple by decorating them with some lemon zest.

How long will these cupcakes keep for?

These cupcakes will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

As they have cream cheese frosting, I would always recommend keeping them refrigerated.

Other lemon recipes you might like

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5 from 13 votes
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Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious lemon cupcakes topped with silky smooth cream cheese frosting rippled with lemon curd. These Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting are a lemon lover’s dream!

Course Cupcakes
Cuisine British, International
Keyword Cupcakes, Cream Cheese, Lemon curd, Lemon
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 456 kcal
Author Curly

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 175 g margarine
  • 175 g caster sugar
  • 175 g self raising flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 lemon zested

For the frosting

  • 75 g unsalted butter softened
  • 200 g full fat cream cheese
  • 450 g icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon curd heaped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC (fan assisted, 180ºC non fan) and line a cupcake tin with paper cases  

  2. Beat the butter and sugar together for roughly 5 minutes until light and fluffy 

  3. Add the eggs and mix again

  4. Add the flour and mix until it is combined before adding the lemon zest and mixing again. 

  5. Spoon into 12 cupcake cases filling each 2/3 full

  6. Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes. Check they are cooked by piercing them with a cocktail stick, if the stick comes out clean they are cooked

  7. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes before leaving to cool completely on a wire rack 

  8. When cooled, make the frosting by beating the butter until smooth

  9. Add the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix until completely smooth

  10. Spoon in the lemon curd and briefly mix until the lemon curd is rippled through 

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 12 large cupcakes. You can easily make more, slightly smaller cupcakes. 

Depending on the size of your lemons, use the zest of up to 2 if they are small. 

Nutritional information is given as a guide only.

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting
Amount Per Serving
Calories 456 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 54mg18%
Sodium 164mg7%
Potassium 48mg1%
Carbohydrates 65g22%
Sugar 53g59%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 735IU15%
Vitamin C 4.8mg6%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Curly says

      I do it as little as possible now! Too much pressure, it definitely doesn’t mean you have to start! Haha thanks 🙂

      Reply

  8. Choclette says

    5 stars
    Lemon in cakes is just brilliant. I often use it, but I don’t make just dedicated lemon cakes very often and I really should. Love your cream cheese and lemon curd frosting and your cakes look beautiful.

    Pinned.

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Thanks very much. Lemon isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I wanted to cram as much lemon flavour in for those that do like it.

      Reply

    • Curly says

      Hi Paula, no I wouldn’t recommend freezing the topping. I would freeze the cupcakes as they are and then add the cream cheese frosting once they are defrosted.

      Reply

  14. Dydee says

    5 stars
    I decided to make a cake with the batter and it turned out gorgeous! Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply

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