23 Jan DOUBLE LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON CURD

Double-Lemon Cupcakes filled with Lemon Curd ©copyright – all rights reserved

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups (17-1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour, sifted

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3-1/2 sticks (14 ounces) unsalted butter

3 cups (21 ounces) granulated sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

7 large eggs, room temperature, beaten ahead in medium bowl.

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Powdered sugar, for dusting

About 2 cups lemon curd

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar, until fluffy and lightened in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cream cheese and beat until completely incorporated.
4. Beat the eggs, beating all together in medium bowl, beating until no streaks of yolk remain. Add the lemon juice and vanilla, and mix until incorporated. Pour into bowl of stand mixer.
5. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions. Mix together until just combined.
6. Divide the batter among the cupcake molds, filling each mold about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 24-28 minutes*, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean. *If using convection heat, cut time appropriately.
8. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling with lemon curd.
9. Insert the base of a large pastry tip into the center of a cupcake about 1/4-inch deep, and twist until the cake center twists alongside the tip; pull directly up to remove the center. Repeat with all of the cupcakes.
10. Sift powdered sugar over the tops of the cupcakes using a fine mesh strainer.
11. Pipe the lemon curd into the cupcakes until it’s flush with the tops of the cupcakes.

LEMON CURD:

INGREDIENTS:

3 lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

4 extra-large eggs, beaten ahead thoroughly in a small bowl

1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
2. Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture IN bowl of stand mixer fitted with flat paddle. Add the beaten eggs, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Stand mixer with flat paddle             Food processor with steel blade              Measuring cups

Microplane                   Measuring spoons             2 – cupcake pans with liners sprayed with Pam

Pastry bag with large round pastry tip         Fine Sieve for dusting cupcakes           Vegetable peeler

2 quart saucepan                  Flat whisk             Candy thermometer

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla paste

1 stick butter, room temperature

Pinch of salt

1. For frosting: Beat cream cheese and 1 stick of butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste and a pinch of salt. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Cover and refrigerate frosting until firm enough to spread, about 15 minutes.