Lemon Burst Cupcakes

The lemon curd makes these cupcakes, but honestly, what recipe contains lemon curd where the curd isn't the superstar? Otherwise these cupcakes would be simple yellow cupcakes with a sweet buttercream frosting. This frosting, which comes from the Wilton message boards from a lady who goes by Bunnywoman, works well for fancier decorations.

 Lemon Burst Cupcakes
Cupcakes
2 1/3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup milk
Filling
1 cup lemon curd
Frosting
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 tsp. salt (smaller grain is better)
1 tsp. clear vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. butter extract
2 lb. bag of powder sugar
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line pans with 24 cupcake liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, beat butter 30 seconds on medium speed. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well blended. Beat an additional 2 minutes after all sugar is added. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.

Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk on low, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes in the pans and then completely on wire racks.

To make the frosting, beat shortening and butter until fluffy. Dissolve the salt in the water, and then add the extracts to the water. To the butter mixture, gradually add powdered sugar alternating with water mixture. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, and then beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy.

The easiest way to fill the cupcakes is to place the lemon curd in a piping bag with a bismark tip. This allows you to pipe the lemon curd into the middle of each cupcake. It doesn't take much curd inside each cupcake to make them swell slightly and taste wonderful. Once the cupcakes are filled, decorate as desired using the frosting. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Note: I also made raspberry-filled cupcakes with the same frosting for my soon-to-be sister-in-law's wedding shower. I was quite happy with how pretty they were, so I wanted to share a few photos.