Soft and moist limoncello cupcakes filled with decadent lemon curd and topped with luxurious limoncello cream cheese frosting. A lemon lover’s dream.
This limoncello
cupcake recipe is my gift to all the lemon lovers out there – the cake is soft and moist but dense enough to hold the decadent lemon curd in the centre.
It’s then topped with the most luxurious limoncello cream cheese frosting that’s a dream to pipe (it holds its shape quite nicely) and even better to eat – perfectly sweet and tart. It’s the ideal topping to all the deliciousness underneath it.
My lemon love affair
There is a reason I have a whole category in my blog dedicated to lemon desserts.
I love lemons the way people love chocolates. I mean, I like chocolates very much (who doesn’t?).
I just love lemons – lemon cakes, lemon bars, lemon pies, lemon curd, lemonade!
Meyer lemons most of all – they’re sweeter, more aromatic, and they even photograph better.
No lemons in the Philippines
Lemons are not organic to the Philippines (we have a local version called calamansi, which is very tart and closer in appearance to key limes) so it was only when I moved to Canada that I discovered them – you could say our love affair is fairly new.
And there’s so much to discover. A world of lemon recipes to try. I couldn’t be happier.
Limoncello cupcakes with limoncello cream cheese frosting
First up are these glorious (notice how much praise I give these cupcakes? I exaggerate not; they are very good) cupcakes made with the lemon liqueur, limoncello (which, uh, yes, I also love), filled with homemade lemon curd then topped with more limoncello cream cheese frosting.
I guess the limoncello in this recipe makes this an adult cupcake but not to worry, there’s not enough liqueur in here to make you drunk (too bad? I hear ya); but enough to give it a distinct lemon flavour that you won’t get from lemon extract or oil or even fresh lemon juice.
Something needs to be said about the frosting too.
I’m always worried about using cream cheese (I’ve thrown out too many bowls of failed cream cheese frosting) but this one held together – not only in shape and form but taste as well.
The secret? Use cold cream cheese. Not room temperature. Cold straight out of the fridge.
Give these cupcakes a shot. They might just make you a lemon lover too (yay for Team Lemon).
(Not into lemons? Try these Chewy Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies instead.)
Limoncello Cupcakes with Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 pc large eggs
- 2 tbsp limoncello
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice I used Meyer lemons
- ½ tsp lemon zest about 1 lemon
Lemon Curd
- See my recipe for Homemade Lemon Curd
Frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 oz cream cheese cold and cubed
- 1 tbsp limoncello
- 2-3 cups confectioner’s sugar sifted
Instructions
Limoncello Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a standard-size cupcake tin with cupcake liners (this recipe makes 12 cupcakes).
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ¼ cup butter and 2 ounces cream cheese on medium speed for about a minute then add the 1 cup of sugar. Beat for another 2 minutes or until light and creamy.
- Add the 3 eggs one at a time making sure it's combined well each time.
- Then add the 2 tablespoons of limoncello. Remember to scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl.
- Switch to low speed and add a third of your flour mixture. Then half of your buttermilk. Add another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and finally the rest of the flour.
- Mix in the ¼ cup lemon juice and ½ teaspoon lemon zest just until combined. Again, scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl for any rogue batter
- Scoop your batter evenly into your tins (about ¾ full).
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ¼ cup butter and the 6 ounces cream cheese on medium speed for about 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add the 1 tablespoon limoncello and beat just until incorporated.
- Switch to low speed and gradually add the 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar. Add a little bit more at a time until you get the consistency and the level of sweetness you prefer. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Cupcake Assembly:
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool.
- Using a small knife, carve a small hole (about an inch in diameter and an inch deep) into the middle of your cupcake.
- Take the extra cake out and fill the hole with a dollop of lemon curd. Don't put too much curd; just put enough so that it's level with the top of your cupcake.
- Frost and decorate as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
(This recipe adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker)
Happy baking!
Did you make these limoncello cupcakes? Tell me how it went in the comments section below. I’d love to hear all about it. If you’re into lemons like me, there are more lemony treats here.
Allan
Cakes did not rise. were not “light and fluffy” at all.
Jolina
Hi Allan, may be time to replace your baking powder.
Vern
The frosting and the lemon curd were amazing. The cupcakes were a bit dense unless I did something wrong. I did follow the recipe to the letter, but they were very dense for our liking. I prefer a puffier fluffier cupcake. Any tips on what might’ve went wrong.
Jolina
Hi Vern, these are supposed to be light and fluffy cupcakes. Dense cupcakes can be a result of many things, like not creaming the butter and sugar enough, over-mixing the batter, or the oven temp being too high.