Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Friday!  Finally, I'm able to share with you the second cupcake recipe from our spring cupcake sale:  Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.  In case you missed it, be sure to check out our first flavor too:  Carrot Cupcakes. 
The readers that have been following my blog for a while might notice that this is the second lemon cupcake recipe I'm posting on here, but let me assure you; they are both very different lemon cupcake recipes.  The first lemon cupcake recipe I posted, Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream, is very light and delicate.  The lemon flavor is noticeable, but much more subtle, and has a much silkier type of frosting.  Topped off with a candied lemon peel garnish, these cupcakes look very gourmet.

This new lemon cupcake recipe, however, is made for the true lemon lover.  The lemon flavor is much more dominant in this recipe, with more lemon included in the cake recipe and a lemon curd filling.  To top it off, the addition of lemon-cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to such a rich, tart cake.  The flavors really work well together, and make this treat a much more indulgent choice than the previous lemon cupcake.

FYI:  If you're intimidated by making lemon curd on your own, or perhaps you don't feel like doing that extra step, you could always use store-bought lemon curd.  If so, I highly recommend Trader Joe's lemon curd (pictured above).

Both cupcakes are equally good, so don't ask me which one is better!  All I can say is, if you're looking for something delicate and light, go with the Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  But, if you're looking for a lemon cupcake that is bursting with that tart lemon flavor, then go with these!  Either way, you won't be disappointed with these recipes.

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
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Yield:  24 cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp lemon extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup lemon juice
Zest of two lemons

For the lemon curd:
Zest of 4 lemons
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

For the lemon cream cheese frosting:
1 stick (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese
1 Tbsp lemon extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the lemon extract and beat an additional minute.  On low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Add the lemon juice and zest and mix on low speed just until incorporated (do not overbeat!). 

Divide the batter between cupcake liners.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.  Let cool completely.

For the lemon curd:
In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the lemon zest, juice and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks.  Whisk the lemon mixture into the eggs to temper them.  Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.

For the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the lemon extract and beat for an additional minute.  Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached; beat until fully incoporated and smooth.

For the assembly:
Cut a hole into each cupcake with the large end of a melon baller or the back end of a large pastry tip.  Fill each cavity with a small scoop of lemon curd.  Fill a decorating bag (or Ziploc bag with bottom corner trimmed off) with the cream cheese frosting and pipe onto each cupcake.  Decorate as desired.

Notes:

• The boxes seen in the photos were purchased from BRPBoxShop.  Their boxes are good quality, they have the fairest prices...and did I mention, FREE ground shipping?!