Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes

Step 1

Detailed instructions with step-by-step photos can be found in this separate blog post: Gluten Free Lemon Curd

Step 2

Zest one lemon and set aside. Squeeze your lemons and strain out any seeds if needed.

Step 3

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine granulated white sugar, a pinch of salt, and 85 grams of room temperature butter. Make sure to reserve the additional 30 grams of butter for finishing the curd. Cream the butter and sugar together. This should take about 2 minutes.

Step 4

When the butter and sugar have been creamed together, slowly add your eggs. The mixture will not cream together.

Step 5

Once you have added the eggs, add your lemon juice. The mixture will curdle but it will smooth out once you cook it.

Step 6

Transfer your butter/sugar/egg/lemon juice mixture to your saucepan and over low heat cook until your lemon curd starts to look smooth. Make sure to constantly stir the mixture. The curdling will disappear when the butter starts to melt.

Step 7

Increase the heat to medium, and while stirring constantly, cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Do not allow for it to come to a boil. The lemon curd is ready when it leaves a path on the back of a spoon and has a temperature above 175F

Step 8

Remove the curd from the heat and strain curd into your prepared pan.

Step 9

Whisk the reserved 30 grams of unsalted butter into the curd. Add lemon zest and stir to combine. Allow for the foolproof lemon curd to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. It will thicken as it cools.

Step 10

The lemon curd will be good for up to 21 days in your refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in your refrigerator before using it.

Step 11

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a standard cupcake tin (or muffin tin) with cupcake liners. Set aside

Step 12

In a small bowl combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt and set aside.

Step 13

In a medium combine the granulated white sugar and the zest of 1-2 lemons. The amount depends on personal preference and how big the lemons are. With your clean fingers, work the lemon zest into the sugar to release its flavor and aroma.

Step 14

Add the room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk until the mixture is light and the sugar is fully dissolved.

Step 15

Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk to the oil mixture and whisk together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Step 16

Using a large cookie scoop equally divide the gluten-free vanilla cupcake batter. Make sure to only fill each cavity ¾ full.

Step 17

Bake the cupcakes at 350F for 20-22 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Step 18

Remove the gluten-free lemon cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack to cool completely before frosting

Step 19

In the bowl of the stand mixer or a large mixing bowl combine the unsalted butter, powdered sugar and a pinch of kosher salt and mix for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Make sure to start the mixer at a low speed or there will be powdered sugar coating your kitchen counter.

Step 20

Add the room-temperature cream cheese and vanilla extract and beat until you have a smooth, creamy thick cream cheese frosting. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula to make sure there are no pockets of sugar or butter on the bottoms of the bowl.

Step 21

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a standard piping tip to decorate the lemon curd cupcakes.

Step 22

To assemble the gluten-free lemon cupcakes, you will need fully cooled lemon cupcakes, lemon curd and cream cheese frosting in two separate piping bags and a melon baller. While the frosting should be in a piping bag with a pastry tip, the lemon curd can be just in a ziplock bag with one corner cut off.

Step 23

With the melon baller (or a small pairing knife) carefully remove the center of the cupcakes. Go around ¼-inch deep.

Step 24

Pipe a tall ring of cream cheese frosting around the edges of the lemon cupcakes. Make sure to press the frosting evenly and leave the center unfrosted.

Step 25

Fill the center with lemon curd which kinda makes them look like sunny side-up eggs. Makes them the perfect Dessert for Easter Sunday.