Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Filling
My friend Ginny has a birthday coming up and in my view there's no better way to celebrate a birthday than with some cupcakes (good cupcakes, I mean). And as I am always a fan of anything lemon I thought these seemed a rather perfect combination. There is no greater disgrace to the cupcake than that sugar laden, rock hard excuse for icing often found in the bakery section of the grocery store. That's why homemade is so often tastier. These are a special treat because the icing is on the inside.
I would double the amount of filling that the recipe calls for and keep the amount of batter the same. The filling is likely my favorite part. Use whatever local lemons that you have available. Meyer lemons are just a bit sweeter. Also try and make these right before you need them so that they're soft and not dry.
INGREDIENTS
| 3/4 cup | cake flour (not self-rising) |
| 1/2 tsp | baking powder |
| 1/8 tsp | salt |
| 2 1/2 tsp | freshly grated Meyer lemon zest |
| 1/2 stick | local unsalted butter, softened |
| 1/2 cup | plus 1 tbsp sugar |
| 1 tbsp | plus 2 tsp fresh Meyer lemon juice |
| 2 large | organic eggs |
| 1/4 cup | plus 1 tbsp organic cream cheese, softened |
PREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with paper liners.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk in 2 tsp zest.
- In another bowl with a fork blend butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp juice until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Stir butter mixture into flour mixture until batter is combined well.
- In a small bowl with a fork stir together cream cheese and remaining zest, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp juice until lemon cream is smooth.
- Put 3 tbsp of batter and 1 tbsp of filling in the muffin tins. Bake cupcakes in middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, and transfer to a rack to cool.
Recipe: Epicurious
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