Lemon Curd Cupcakes are tangy, sweet treats that are as pretty as they are delicious! Spongey, moist lemon cupcakes are filled with lemon curd centers and topped with homemade lemony icing. If you’re a lemon fanatic, this recipe’s for you!
Lemon Curd Cupcakes Recipe
These lemon curd cupcakes are bright, zesty, and so easy to make!
The homemade lemon curd is perfectly placed in the center of the moist cupcake, and the whole thing is topped off with the best lemon frosting.
Why You’ll Love this Lemon Curd Cupcake Recipe:
- Zesty: The lemon zest in this recipe is enough to make your mouth water! You’re going to love the amount of real lemon flavor in these cupcakes.
- Filled with Flavor: Filled cupcakes are fun cupcakes! There’s always a smile on everyone’s face when they realize there’s a lemon curd center of these treats.
- Easy: These cupcakes are so easy to bake and assemble.
How to Make Lemon Curd Cupcakes
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cupcakes: Combine all of the dry ingredients. Add all of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fill the cupcake tins ¾ of the way full. Bake and let the cupcakes cool completely.
- Frosting: To make the frosting, beat the butter, lemon zest, and vanilla. Then, toss in the powdered sugar and beat it in. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag.
- Assembly: Assemble the cupcakes by first scooping a small hole in the center of the cupcakes. Fill the holes with lemon curd, then place the piece of cake you scooped out back on top of the lemon curd. Frost the cupcakes as desired.
In an airtight container at room temperature, these lemony treats will stay fresh for up to 2 days.
That’s entirely up to you! If you like the way my cupcakes are frosted in the pictures here, then you’ll want to snag a Wilton 2D tip. However, any way you frost these cupcakes is sure to be adorable.
Avoid this issue by letting the cupcakes FULLY cool before adding the curd or frosting! If the cupcakes are still even a little bit warm, the curd will likely soak into the cupcakes and not be as presentable as you’d like the center to be.
What kind of lemon curd should I use?
While I like to make these cupcakes entirely from scratch, you can certainly just purchase some store-bought lemon curd if you’re on a time crunch.
However, if you like recipes from scratch like I do, then you’ll love this easy-to-make Homemade Lemon Curd. To be honest, it’s much more flavorful than store-bought versions!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have a lemon zester handy, that’s okay! You can use a cheese grater (the side with the smaller holes) to zest your lemon.
- When scooping the centers out of the cupcakes, use a cupcake corer for the most exact sizing. However, utensils like a regular spoon will work too.
- Beat the icing until it’s light and fluffy, then stop. You don’t want to overbeat it.
Filled with sweet and tangy goodness, these lemon curd cupcakes are a real zesty treat!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Lemon Curd Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest 6 grams, from 1 lemon
- ½ cup vegetable oil 100 grams
- ½ cup milk 114 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 2 cups powdered sugar 226 grams
- ½ cup lemon curd 160 grams, homemade or store-bought
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Hand Mixer (optional)
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-count cupcake tin with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Add the vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk to combine– just until no large lumps of flour remain.½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup milk, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Fill each cupcake tin ¾ of the way full and bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 14-16 minutes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
For the Frosting
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- On low speed, add the powdered sugar a little at a time.2 cups powdered sugar
- After you’ve added all the powdered sugar, turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the icing is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and set aside until ready to use.
Assembly
- Scoop a small hole out of the center of each cupcake and fill the center with lemon curd (about 1-2 teaspoons). Place the piece of cake you scooped out back on top of the lemon curd.½ cup lemon curd
- Frost the cupcakes as desired (I did a simple swirl with a Wilton 2D tip).
Notes
- If you don’t have a lemon zester handy, that’s okay! You can use a cheese grater (the side with the smaller holes) to zest your lemon.
- When scooping the centers out of the cupcakes, use a cupcake corer for the most exact sizing. However, utensils like a regular spoon will work too.
- Beat the icing until it’s light and fluffy, then stop. You don’t want to overbeat it.
Leave a Review