Old Fashioned Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

Today I bring you yet another recipe from the forgotten vault.  This one had slipped my mind as well until I stumbled across the photos this morning.  I adapted these little babies from one of Paula Deen's recipes.  And any confection Paula Deen whips up is always good in my book :)

These cupcakes are composed of a classic butter cake and a traditional buttercream frosting.  Some might call it boring, but I absolutely love the simplicity of it.  Due to this simplicity, it's also a recipe that you know pretty much everyone will love.

The only thing I did switch up was that I added a lemon curd filling.  This gave the cupcakes a surprise pop of flavor when you bit into them.  Nothing too overpowering, just a little something extra.  If lemon curd seems too "spring" or "summer" to you, you can certainly add a different filling or omit it all together.

Most of the time a filling is added *after* cupcakes are baked.  But since I wanted more of a subtle flavor that melded into the cake I added it prior to baking.  The typical method would be to pipe the curd down into the cupcakes once they cool.

Old Fashioned Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling adapted from Paula Deen's original recipe

1 3/4 C cake flour (not self rising)

1 1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour

2 C sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 large eggs

1 C whole milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 small jar prepared lemon curd (found in the jelly section of your grocery store)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with liners and set aside.

In large bowl combine both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes or until combined.  Add cubed butter, mixing on low speed until butter is just coated.

Add eggs one at a time until combined.  Slowly add milk and vanilla until completely combined.  Scrape bowl as you mix.

Scoop batter into prepared cups, filling cup approximate 2/3 full.  Then add one small scoop (depending on the desired strength of flavor) of lemon curd to each cup.  Don't worry, the curd will slip down into the batter as it settles.  Bake 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*The below photo shows my first filling method of placing the curd in between two scoops of batter.  Unfortunately this resulted in the curd falling down to the very bottom of the cupcake.  If you put the curd on top, it gradually finds it's perfect spot right in the center.

Old Fashioned Frosting

2 sticks butter, room temperature

8 C confectioners sugar

1/2 C milk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract


Cream softened butter and add 4 cups sugar, milk and vanilla.  Beat with paddle attachment until smooth.  Gradually add remaining sugar until desired frosting consistency is reached.


You can add the frosting any way you'd like, but I piped these cupcakes with a simple open frosting tip.  This frosting isn't quite as stiff as others, and so I'm not sure how it would fare with other, more intricate frosting tips.

Dig in!!