Something to celebrate...

This recipe is top of mind for me because I just passed it along to a friend.  She was very pleased with the results & I remember when I made these cupcakes for the first time they received rave reviews.

If you are craving a standing ovation and/or a delicious spring forward treat, then I highly recommend this recipe- courtesy of Amy Berman from Vanilla Bake Shop.

The Meyer lemon filling makes for a nice balance of tangy and sweet, and the vanilla cake itself is very moist and delicious.  I also appreciate the fact that there is no shortening involved; instead, the recipe includes butter & sour cream.

Additionally, the vanilla bean buttercream and fresh raspberry topping make these cupcakes irresistible.

You should know that I cheated when I made this recipe.  I went to the store & bought a nice locally made lemon curd.  But if you are feeling motivated, and have the time, then I encourage you to make your own.  If you do decide to make your own, then it is best to prepare before you begin making your cupcakes as the lemon curd needs to chill.

Step One: Lemon Curd

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

Zest of 3 lemons

3 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

1 cup Meyer lemon juice

5 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Directions

Prepare and ice-water bath. Set a medium bowl in ice-water bath and set aside.

Place sugar and lemon zest in a mortar and grind with a pestle to combine and release the oils. Transfer sugar mixture to a medium heatproof bowl along with eggs and egg yolks; whisk to combine. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and continue whisking until mixture is thick and reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add butter and whisk until well combined.

Strain lemon mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over prepared bowl. Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface. Transfer to refrigerator until completely chilled.

Step Two: Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped

5 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 cup plus scant 1/3 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add sour cream; mix until well combined.

In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.

Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.

Step Three: Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

Directions 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

Add vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract, and beat to combine. Slowly add milk and continue beating on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Step Four: Filling & Topping

Ingredients

24 Raspberries

Lemon Curd

Buttercream Frosting

Directions

Using an apple corer, make a hole in the top of each cupcake, taking care not to push the corer through the bottom; remove cake from hole. Fill a squirt bottle with lemon curd and squeeze curd into holes.

Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch plain round tip and fill with buttercream. Pipe buttercream in a circular motion on top of each cupcake; Pipe a dollop of buttercream in the center of each cupcake and top with a raspberry.

Step Five: Enjoy!

Yields 24-1