Lemon Stuffed Cupcakes

Why You’ll Love These

Delicious:  These lemon cupcakes are such a treat if you enjoy citrus flavors. The pillowy soft vanilla cupcakes are filled with silky lemon curd as well as homemade lemon frosting. There’s nothing not to love about these lemon cupcakes!
Centerpiece-worthy: Whether you’re planning a spring garden party, a summer BBQ or you simply want to make something beautiful, this lemon cupcake recipe would make a breathtaking centerpiece.
Easy to make: Don’t worry about making these because they aren’t difficult at all. Even if you don’t bake much, there is nothing tricky or difficult about the recipe.

Key Ingredients for Lemon Filled Cupcakes

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below

All-purpose flour: You can’t make light and fluffy cupcakes without flour. Regular all-purpose flour works just fine here.
Baking powder: Helps achieve a fluffy lightness.
Vanilla extract: To add a delicate flavor to the cupcakes. Use pure vanilla extract, not the synthetic kind. Feel free to use another extract to change up the flavor.
Lemon zest and juice: To make the lemon curd filling and also for the lemon frosting. As lemon is the dominant flavor in these lemon cupcakes, make sure you use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best-tasting result, and to make a real lemon lover out of absolutely anyone who tastes these cupcakes!
Egg yolks: The main component in the lemon curd filling. These add richness, help with the consistency and help achieve that lovely sunny yellow color.
Sugar: You need white granulated sugar for both the cupcake batter and the lemon curd, and powdered sugar for the lemon frosting.
Salt: A pinch of salt counteracts the sweetness and adds a layer of depth to these lovely cupcakes.

How to Make Lemon Cupcakes

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card

Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
Cream the butter and sugar: Mix for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
Mix in more ingredients: Next, add in the eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the flour mixture and the milk alternately, a bit at a time, finishing with flour.
Fill a muffin tin: Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners in a 12-hole muffin tin.
Bake the lemon cupcakes: Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until done.
Start the filling: While the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a pan for about 10 minutes to make lemon curd.
Finish the lemon curd: Whisk the butter into the lemon mixture and pour into a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool.
Make the lemon frosting: Beat most of the powdered sugar with lemon juice and then add the remaining powdered sugar and beat some more, then transfer to a piping bag.
Hollow out the cupcakes: Hollow out the center of each lemon cupcake with a knife or piping bag tip.
Add the frosting and filling: Pipe the frosting around the outside edge of each cupcake and fill the hollowed out part with lemon curd, then chill for 20 minutes and serve!

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option:  If you want a gluten-free version, use your favorite all-in-one GF flour alternative. The all-in-one kinds have the baking powder, stabilizers and so on, to ensure your cupcakes still come out light and fluffy.
Change the flavor: Sub almond extract or coconut extract for the vanilla extract if you like, or even swap the lemon for orange.
Make mini cupcakes: If you’re using a mini muffin tin and mini cupcake liners, reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers:  If you are making these for the spring or summer, you might like to offer some light snacks as well, perhaps pimento cheese sandwiches or red pepper dip.
Sweet treats: For those with a sweet tooth, spring pretzel bites, carrot cupcakes, or even a coconut cottontail tequila margarita might go down well!

How to Store Lemon Cupcakes

Store:  Keep these covered and refrigerated, and they should stay fresh for about 4 days.
Freeze:  Freeze them in a single layer for up to 2 months.
Thaw:  Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.

Top Tips

Don’t stop whisking the lemon curd: If you don’t whisk the egg yolks while the lemon mixture thickens, you’re going to end up with scrambled eggs instead of smooth lemon curd!
Save time and effort: Using a vanilla cake mix and/or lemon curd from the grocery store works if you’re pressed for time! You can also make extra lemon curd, which is always a favorite filling.