Not everyone likes chocolate cake. I know, those people are just weird! Only teasing, my Dad is one of them. So, whenever I am baking for a crowd, I always try to have an alternative for the 'no-chocolate' folks, and lemon is my go-to flavour. I made a lemon and lime drizzle cake for my Dad's 70th, which he loved, but for my husband's birthday tea, I wanted to go really lemony with these 'Very Lemony Cupcakes'.
'Very Lemony Cupcakes' have lemon zest, lemon drizzle and lemon curd all happening in one cupcake, and they are just little bundles of citrus deliciousness. If you don't like lemon, you won't get on with these!
When making citrus cakes, I always used to do battle with the finest side of a grater for zesting fruit, and quite a battle it was! As I seem to need to zest quite a lot, eventually I treated myself to a zester. It was quite pricey for a single utensil, but it's worth its weight in gold. It glides over the fruit so easily, zesting a lemon in a matter of seconds. My favourite part is the plastic well that slots onto the back and catches all the zest. I highly recommend it!
The lemon cupcakes went down very well with our family guests and tasted even better when we ate the leftovers in the following days! This seemed to be because the lemon curd soaked fully into the sponge, which not only kept it moist but also boosted the lemony flavour. On the first day, when they were completely fresh, biting into them revealed the curd, but by the third day, no curd to be found. I loved them both ways!
Hope you enjoy- let me know how you got on if you make them.
Ingredients
(makes 15)
250g butter, softened
250g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
4 eggs
2 lemons
75 g caster sugar (for the drizzle)
5 tbsp lemon curd
Method
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
2. Add an egg at a time, mixing each one until well combined.
3. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in until you have a thick cake batter.
4. Use a lemon zester to zest the rind of the two lemons into the mixture and mix through gently until well distributed- don't over mix.
5. Spoon mixture into the cases until they are about two thirds full.
6. Add a teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each one.
7. Finish with a teaspoon of mixture to cover the curd.
8. Pop in the oven at 180 (160 fan, gas mark 4) for 15-18 minutes or until they are well risen and golden. Check by sliding a sharp knife in the centre of one and seeing if it comes out clean.
9. While they are cooking, squeeze the juice of the 2 lemons into a measuring jug and mix well with the extra caster sugar.
10. When the cupcakes are done, take them out of the oven and leave for a couple of minutes in the tin to set a little. Then remove onto a cooling rack.
11. While still warm, using a sharp knife to stab 3-4 little cuts into the surface of each one and immediately pour some of the drizzle over the top. You might need to re-stir the drizzle if the sugar has settled.
Allow to cool fully (no-one needs a burnt tongue from hot curd!) and then serve. Hope all your non-chocolate guests like these Very Lemony Cupcakes!
'Very Lemony Cupcakes' have lemon zest, lemon drizzle and lemon curd all happening in one cupcake, and they are just little bundles of citrus deliciousness. If you don't like lemon, you won't get on with these!
When making citrus cakes, I always used to do battle with the finest side of a grater for zesting fruit, and quite a battle it was! As I seem to need to zest quite a lot, eventually I treated myself to a zester. It was quite pricey for a single utensil, but it's worth its weight in gold. It glides over the fruit so easily, zesting a lemon in a matter of seconds. My favourite part is the plastic well that slots onto the back and catches all the zest. I highly recommend it!
The lemon cupcakes went down very well with our family guests and tasted even better when we ate the leftovers in the following days! This seemed to be because the lemon curd soaked fully into the sponge, which not only kept it moist but also boosted the lemony flavour. On the first day, when they were completely fresh, biting into them revealed the curd, but by the third day, no curd to be found. I loved them both ways!
Hope you enjoy- let me know how you got on if you make them.
Ingredients
(makes 15)
250g butter, softened
250g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
4 eggs
2 lemons
75 g caster sugar (for the drizzle)
5 tbsp lemon curd
Method
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
2. Add an egg at a time, mixing each one until well combined.
3. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in until you have a thick cake batter.
4. Use a lemon zester to zest the rind of the two lemons into the mixture and mix through gently until well distributed- don't over mix.
5. Spoon mixture into the cases until they are about two thirds full.
6. Add a teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each one.
7. Finish with a teaspoon of mixture to cover the curd.
8. Pop in the oven at 180 (160 fan, gas mark 4) for 15-18 minutes or until they are well risen and golden. Check by sliding a sharp knife in the centre of one and seeing if it comes out clean.
9. While they are cooking, squeeze the juice of the 2 lemons into a measuring jug and mix well with the extra caster sugar.
10. When the cupcakes are done, take them out of the oven and leave for a couple of minutes in the tin to set a little. Then remove onto a cooling rack.
11. While still warm, using a sharp knife to stab 3-4 little cuts into the surface of each one and immediately pour some of the drizzle over the top. You might need to re-stir the drizzle if the sugar has settled.
Allow to cool fully (no-one needs a burnt tongue from hot curd!) and then serve. Hope all your non-chocolate guests like these Very Lemony Cupcakes!
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| Lemon curd, ready to be covered with mixture. |
oh wow - these look so moist and I love lemon!! Thanks for sharing on the what's for dinner link up!!
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