Lemoncurd stuffed cupcakes

These cupcakes are really delicious with a perfect combination of sweet and sour.

Blueberry and lemon curd stuffed cupcakes with lemon buttercream

Makes 12 cupcakes

You need:The lemon curd

280 g sugar 170 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes 230 g fresh squeezed lemon juice (preferrably Meyer) 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1/8 teaspoon salt 5 large eggs, beaten to blend
for lemon frosting: 110 g unsalted butter, room temperature 450 g powdered sugar 50 g fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons lemon zest (or more if desired)

Combine sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon peel and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in beaten eggs. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until curd thickens, about 2 minutes, being sure not to boil. Strain curd through a sieve into a bowl.
Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill overnight.

The cupcakes

240 g flour 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
210 g sugar 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature 180 g buttermilk ** 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 teaspoons fresh grated (organic) lemon rind 100 g fresh blueberries, frozen for 4 hours
200 g lemon curd for filling (see recipe below)

You do:

The cupcakes

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the buttermilk and lemon juice together in a small bowl.
Stirring well, add a third of the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Make 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk** mixture, finishing with the dry. Scoop batter into cupcake cups filling 2/3 of the way to top.

Bake cupcakes at 180°C degrees for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer to rack and let cool completely. Cut the tops from cooled cupcakes and scoop in one tablespoon of lemon curd. Replace tops and press down gently.

**If you are unable to find buttermilk, make your own by combining 230 g skim milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let sit five minutes - Buttermilk!

The frosting

With an electric mixer, whip butter until creamy (about three minutes). Add 300 g of sugar, lemon juice and the lemon zest and mix until combined. Add *140 g of sugar and mix until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.

*Add additional sugar if needed to achieve desired consistency.

Cooks tip:

These cupcakes have one extra step - the lemon curd. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the filling - they are also lovely without curd as blueberry and lemon cupcakes.

Photography: Trine Thorsen
Food & styling: Tara Ballantyne