limoncello cupcakes

Don't these just look absolutely dreamy???

trust me... they are!!!

lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream

I'll repeat: lemon love, love lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon, love, love, love :)

Limoncello Cupcakes

cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter

2 oz cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoons limoncello

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of one lemon

Beat softened butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the limoncello and beat until well mixed. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour and buttermilk to butter mixture. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest just until combined. Pour into prepared cupcake pans (it made 18 cupcakes for me) and bake at 325 for about 17 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

lemon curd filling:

1/2 cup lemon juice

zest of two lemons

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

Mix lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar of medium heat until boiling. Whisk egg and egg yolk. Whisk lemon mixture into eggs off the heat (to temper). Add all back to sauce pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Cool completely.

Use a melon baller to scoop a hole into tops of cooled cupcakes. Fill with cooled lemon curd.

lemon buttercream icing:

1/2 stick butter

6 oz cream cheese

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons limoncello

Beat butter and cream cheese. Add limoncello and beat until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar until desired icing consistency is obtained. Ice filled cupcakes. Garnish with lemon slices.

They are so pretty and so yummy! Especially to someone who enjoys lemon as much as I do!

A perfect summer treat!

 (and even though it's only March, since the weather has been between 70 - 85, I'm in full summer mode)

Recipe origionally found here (I adapted the buttercream to my taste)