Spring is here! This recipe was a little more work than a simple cupcake recipe, but it was so worth it; they taste heavenly!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

115 g butter 

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs 

Lemon zest from 2 lemons

1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh)

1/2 cup plain yogurt 

Frosting

230 g unsalted butter 

3 cups powdered sugar 

pinch of salt 

150 ml lemon curd 

For the homemade lemon curd: 

3 lemons 

4 eggs yolks 

2/3 cup sugar

Zest from 1 lemon 

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

1/8 tsp salt 

6 Tbsp butter ( room temperature)

Start with the lemon curd as it needs to cool down and thicken before you can use it for the frosting. The recipe makes a little more then you are going to need, you can freeze for up to 6 months and refrigerate for up to 10 days and use it for different desserts in the future. 

Lemon curd: 

• Prepare all the ingredients; put the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl – best is a heatproof glass bowl since stainless steel might make the lemon curd taste metallic. 
• Fill a pot with 1/2 cup of water (the size of the pot should match the size of the glass bowl so you can place the bowl on top of it). 
• Start boiling the water; once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to the point where water simmers. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the ingredients are blended very well, continue whisking for another 10 min or until the curd has a texture of hollandaise sauce (continuously whisking will prevent the eggs from curdling). 
• Remove the curd from the heat and add the butter one spoon at a time, mixing after each time you add the butter. Mix well, until all the butter is melted. Cover with plastic wrap; the plastic wrap should be directly on top of the curd to prevent skin from building on top.

Batter:

• Prepare the cupcake pan and place the cupcake liners inside. 
• Combine flour and baking powder and set aside. 
• Set the oven to 180ºC (360ºF)
• With an electric mixer (I used my Kitchenaid) on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after adding each egg. 
• Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with adding a spoon of yogurt at a time and mixing well and slow with a spatula. 
• Transfer the batter to the cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 full.
• Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 min.
• Once done, set aside and allow them to cool down.

Frosting:

• In the meantime, make the frosting. 
• Place the butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and cream until smooth for about 5 min. Add the cooled lemon curd and continue creaming until smooth and combined. 
• Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes; I used a Wilton M1 tip. It’s up to you what kind of tip you use.