Cream Cheese Triple Lemon Cupcakes Recipes

TRIPLE LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix sugar, lemon juice, butter, eggs, and lemon zest for lemon curd filling thoroughly in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, usually about 7 minutes total. Let cool, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a zip-top bag and refrigerate until needed.
• Cream sugar and butter together for cupcakes in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy, about 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing vanilla and lemon extracts into the mixture with the last egg. Beat in flour, baking powder, and nutmeg until thoroughly combined; beat in buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to make a smooth batter.
• Fill each of the prepared cupcake cups with about 1/4 cup of batter, or use a large cookie scoop.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Cream the cream cheese and butter for cream cheese frosting together in a medium bowl or stand mixer until creamy. Mix in lemon juice and lemon and vanilla extracts, then gradually stir in confectioners' sugar. Stir in lemon zest. Store in the refrigerator after use.
• Remove a section from the center of each cooled cupcake using an apple or cupcake corer. Cut off a corner of the zip-top bag holding the filling, and fill each cupcake with lemon curd. Pipe with a swirl of lemon cream cheese frosting, covering the curd filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

LEMON-CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed 1 min. or until dry ingredients are moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Bake 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese, butter and lemon juice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. Spread onto cupcakes.

TRIPLE LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Combine the flour and almonds in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt and pulse to combine.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Combine 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 12 minutes. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until foamy; increase the speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form, 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the sugar syrup and beat until cool and glossy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the butter a little at a time, beating until incorporated. (It's OK if the mixture looks curdled at first; continue beating.) Beat in the food coloring, then add the lemon zest and juice and beat until smooth, 2 more minutes.
• Make the candied zest: Remove the lemon zest with a vegetable peeler and slice into thin strands. Place in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Drain the zest and return it to the saucepan; cover with water and repeat 2 more times. Bring the sugar and 3/4 cup water to a bare simmer in a separate saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest strands and cook over low heat, 20 minutes. Drain the zest and arrange in clusters on a parchment-lined baking sheet; let dry.
• Frost the cupcakes and top with the candied lemon zest.

LEMON-CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended. (Batter will be thick.) Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Bake 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese, butter and lemon juice in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in sugar until blended. Spread onto cupcakes.

CREAM CHEESE TRIPLE-LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat cake mix, 1 pkg. Neufchatel, pudding mix, water and eggs in large bowl with mixer just until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Bake 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat remaining Neufchatel, butter and juice with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in sugar until blended. Frost cupcakes.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk or sour milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice (batter may appear slightly curdled). Divide evenly among prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in a 350° oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks.**.
• When completely cooled, pipe or spread with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Decorate as desired with additional piped frosting, edible flowers (pesticide-free), shaved white chocolate, and lemon zest. Store frosted cupcakes in a covered container and keep refrigerated. Makes 24 cupcakes.
• Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Finely shred 1 teaspoon lemon peel; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; and 1 teaspoon lemon juice; beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups additional powdered sugar to make frosting that is easy to spread. Stir in the lemon peel. If desired, tint some of the frosting with pink gel icing color for decorating.
• *NOTE: To make sour milk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
• **MAKE AHEAD: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before frosting. The frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Set out at room temperature to soften enough to spread.