Ugly Lemon Cupcakes

I got my cupcake genius pans in the mail and was really excited to try them out. I'm kind of tired of car bomb cupcakes so I thought I'd use a lemon cake recipe that I really like.

So, I got all my ingredients together, took a photo of my egg yolk flower and got to work.


Egg Yolks and lemons for lemon curd, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Unfortunately I forgot to account for the volume taken up by the silicone caps that keep the cupcakes hollow and my cupcakes overflowed.

Lemon Cupcakes with Cupcake Genius pan, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Hence, the ugly cupcakes. That's OK, this is why I'm doing a trial run.

Ugly Lemon Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

I filled them with the lemon curd, and remembered that lemon curd just soaks into the cupcake. Leaving it hollow after a few minutes. Once again, this is why I do trial runs.

Ugly Lemon Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

See the little belly button?

Ugly Lemon Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

(no belly button)

I did make about 1/2 dozen in a regular pan so I just poked holes in the top with tooth picks and let the curd soak in before I frosted the. In the future, this will be the method I use. No fancy pan required!

Lemon Layer Cake
adapted from : smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/layered-lemon-love/

1-2-3-4 Cake
This cake gets its name from its proportion of ingredients: 1 cup butter and milk, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups of flour and 4 eggs, and from cupcakes to layers cakes, as a basic, white cake, it does not fail. Yield: 3 9-inch layers (for the purpose of this cake) or 24 cupcakes (good to know, eh?)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
3 cups sifted self-rising flour (sift before AND after measuring. Use a spoon to scoop flour into measuring cup)
1 cup milk (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325°F (original recipe was 350). Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (start checking at 15 minutes if you are making cupcakes).

Lemon Curd
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking
From the Joy of Cooking: This makes a sensation filling for sponge rolls or an Angel Food Cake. You can also marble it into a cheesecake.
8 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 lemons, zest grated and juiced
Place the ingredients in the double boiler over boiling water. Don’t let top pan touch the water. Cook and stir until mixture begins to gel or thicken ever-so-slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate it to thicken. This keeps, refrigerated, for about 1 week.

Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting (from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)
6 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup butter softened
4 1/2-3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon zest

Beat cream cheese, lemon juice, and butter until light and fluffy, gradually add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar. Add remaining between 2 1/2 and 2 3/4 cups of powdered sugar and beat until spreading consistency. Add lemon zest and mix.


Lemon Layer Cake Assembly: Add 1 tablespoon of filling to the cake pedestal. Run hands along the side of the cake to remove excess crumbs. Place the cake layers on the pedestal, spreading filling between the layers and on top. Spread the top of the cake with the remaining filling. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.

Optional, but delicious: press sweetened coconut flakes into the frosting.