The Lemon Cupcakes

I have had some requests to share the recipe for some cupcakes I made recently. So here it is!

The Filling

This can go on ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, or anything that could use some lemon-y goodness! I will usually make it first so it has a chance to cool and thicken.

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind (I grate 2-3 lemons and use everything, sometimes it is more than 2T)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Cook until sugar dissolves and the mixture is light in color (about 3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and butter; cook for 5 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cool. Cover and chill (the mixture will thicken as it cools)

Note: Lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can easily double the recipe and freeze half of it in a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and use within 1 week of thawing.

The Cake

Take a box of cake mix. Make cupcakes out of it.

Ok, this one might seem too simple. I like to tinker, so I usually add a box of pudding to the cake mix to give it some texture. And I am against adding oil, so I'll substitute sour cream or buttermilk. But I kind of like to keep things easy. So I'm a fan of using the boxed cake mix!

The Frosting

I'm sorry there is no way to cheat and make this part good for you. That is why I don't add oil to the cake mix - it helps to balance out the tasty stuff that goes on top!

8 oz regular cream cheese - softened (not light or fat free)
1/2 cup butter - softened
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
About 3 cups of powdered sugar

Mix the cream cheese, butter, zest, and juice in a mixer to combine. Start with about 2 cups of powdered sugar and stir it in. It will probably soften up so you can add more powdered sugar until it looks like it is starting to hold its shape. Once it gets to this point, turn the mixer up and let it just beat for 5 minutes or so. This will actually help the frosting be light and fluffy!

The Assembly

Pick the ugliest cupcake of the batch. Tear it in half and spread on some of the lemon curd. Grab a knife and take a scoop of the frosting that just came off the beater. Smear it on top of the lemon curd and taste it to make sure the proportions are right. This is an important step! Someone has to make sure these are edible.

Repeat with the second half of the ugly cupcake. Because it is lonely. And impolite to leave half a cupcake.

Now get the filling into the middle of the rest of the cupcakes. You can cut the tops off and spoon it in, or put it in a bag with a pastry tip and poke it in and squeeze until it looks like your little cupcakes will swell and explode. Really...you just have to get the filling into the middle.

Put the frosting on top to cover the entry site of the filling. It is very important to put lots of frosting on each cupcake because that is going to keep the filling from squirting out and hitting someone in the eye when they take their first bite. Ok, not really. But a lot of frosting makes them really, really good.

Set at least half the cupcakes out to share with others. If you hide half in the fridge for "later," I won't tell anyone.