These delicious LemonAngel Food Cupcakes have lemon curd stuffed inside and is topped with a luscious lemon whipped cream frosting. The perfect lemon cupcake recipe!
Place the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and salt into a small saucepot. Whisk to combine. Place the saucepot over medium heat and let come to a slow boil, whisking constantly, or it can burn on the bottom.
Continue to boil the curd gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Take the pot off the heat, let cool. Use to fill the cupcakes or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
For the angel food cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside. In a food processor, add the sugar and pulse until very fine, about 2 minutes. Sift half of the sugar with the flour and salt, set aside.
In a large bowl add the egg whites, add in the water, vanilla, and cream of tartar. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix on low until fully combined. Gradually add in the remaining sugar until well mixed in. Place mixer on medium speed until egg whites form medium peaks.
Start to add in the flour mixture a little at a time by sifting it onto the surface of the egg mixture and folding it in in very small batches by hand.
Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the lemon whipped cream frosting
Add the heavy cream to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix on low until bubbles start to form. Add in the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time, mixing between additions. Add the cornstarch and vanilla once the cream starts to form soft peaks.
Continue to mix on medium speed until the cream will stand up on the whisk and will not move. Do not over beat or you will have butter. Add in the lemon curd, and fold in by hand until fully combined.
Lemon Cupcake Assembly
Only assemble the lemon cupcakes once the cupcakes are completely cooled. Add some lemon curd to a piping bag with a small round tip. Gently press into the middle of the cupcake about 1/2 inch down. Squeeze some curd into the cupcake center, only about a teaspoons worth. Continue with all the cupcakes.
Place whipped cream into a piping bag or frost however you wish. Add mint leaves and large yellow sprinkles for garnish, if desired.
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Notes
Use a piping bag to fill the cupcakes with lemon curd. Or, you can even put the curd in a small ziplock bag, cut a small tip off one of the corners, and use it as a piping bag.
You don’t have to fill the lemon curd cupcakes with a lot of curd, as the flavor is pretty concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way in flavor.
If you want to make these quicker, you can use a boxed cake mix and jarred lemon curd.
These can be frozen, see my tips above.
Use gel food coloring if desired for a more vibrant color.