Birthday Cake Time Lemon Filled Vanilla Cupcakes Recipes

LEMON-FILLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat lemon cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl for 2 minutes.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cupcakes thoroughly.
• Cut vegetable shortening and 1/4 cup butter together in a bowl with a pastry cutter until well mixed. Beat lemon juice into shortening mixture until creamy.
• Stir 2 cups confectioners' sugar into shortening mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling is smooth. Set filling aside.
• Place white chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on High for 15 seconds and stir chocolate. Continue heating in 15-second intervals, stirring between heating until white chocolate is melted and smooth.
• For frosting, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Stir in melted white chocolate and vanilla extract.
• Gradually beat in 4 cups confectioners' sugar, alternating with drizzles of orange juice, to make a smooth and creamy frosting.
• Cut holes through the top of each cupcake. Holes should be deep enough to put filling inside.
• Spoon lemon filling into the holes.
• Pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of cupcakes; sprinkle with lemon zest.

BIRTHDAY CAKE TIME: LEMON-FILLED VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the lemon curd:
• Heat all the ingredients except for the butter, in a small saucepan. Keep it stirring every so often until it coats the back of a spoon (you should be able to draw a line through it). Remove from heat. Once off the heat, add the butter and mix in until melted and incorporated. Set aside to cool.
• Make the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 325F.
• In a large mixer bowl, add the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt. Mix together until it is a sandy consistency.
• In a separate liquid measuring cup, add the milk, eggs and vanilla.
• Slowly add the wet to the dry, mixing until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
• Add the batter to cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 of the way through.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched and a tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
• Make the frosting:
• Beat together the butter and sugar, slowly to avoid a cloud of sugar blowing back in your face.
• Add the vanilla, milk and food coloring, adding more or less milk depending on how thick or thin you desire.
• Assemble the cupcakes:
• When the cupcakes are cool, take a knife and hollow out the center of each, making sure to keep the "lid." I've seen a few methods out there on how to fill cupcakes, and this has always worked best for me.**
• Spoon approximately 1 tsp of lemon curd in each cupcake hole. Cover with the "lid."
• Frost the top as normal with frosting.
• Enjoy!

LEMON CURD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For lemon curd, in a heavy saucepan, cook and stir the sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in lemon zest. Cool for 10 minutes. Cover and chill for 1-1/2 hours or until thickened. , In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. , Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a small round pastry tip. Fill bag with lemon curd. Insert tip 1 in. into center of each cupcake; fill with curd just until tops of cupcakes begin to crack. , In a small bowl, combine the butter, vanilla, salt, confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve frosting consistency. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator. Garnish with flowers or lemon zest if desired.