Lemon-Limoncello Cupcakes
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These cupcakes have almost rendered me speechless. Trying to come up with the words to describe the incredible flavor experience that these provide is no small task. These lemon beauties topped off an Italian-themed meal (one that had begun with the Fontina-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates as an appetizer) and was the perfect clean-flavored dessert that I was looking for. There are three levels of lemon flavor in the cupcakes that combine to deliver the perfect balance of tart and sweet, and had people fighting over the last cupcake (seriously). The batter is flavored with lemon zest, lemon juice and a punch of limoncello; a tart lemon curd fills the inside of the cupcakes, and on top sits a sweet cream cheese frosting with the subtle tang of limoncello. These are simple and classy, a perfect dessert for a summer meal.
Although comprised of three separate steps, these cupcakes are simple to put together and not very time consuming. While the cupcakes are in the oven baking, the lemon curd can be made in less than 10 minutes. While the cupcakes and curd cool, make the frosting and then you are ready to assemble and serve! I tasted a spoonful of lemon curd before assembling the cupcakes and thought it might be a bit too tart, but was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the entire cupcake. The curd didn’t appear too tart at all, and was perfectly balanced by the cake and frosting. As you can see, I popped the finished cupcakes into an additional liner – Wilton Nut & Party Cups – for a prettier presentation.
If you want to make homemade limoncello, you can certainly do so, but plan ahead! Homemade recipes require 7 to 10 days of the lemon steeping in vodka before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. If you want to give it a go, you can find recipes here and here.
These cupcakes have been entered into Bake at 350’s Flavor of the Month event for August: PUCKER UP! Lemon, Lime or a combination. Head on over to check out the event, see what everyone baked up, and find out next month’s theme.
1 year ago: Strawberry Pretzel Jello Squares
2 years ago: Black Bean Burgers[/donotprint]
Lemon-Limoncello Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, (½ stick )
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons limoncello
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- ¼ cup (61 g) lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon
For the lemon curd:
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ½ cup (122 g) lemon juice
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
For the cream cheese limoncello frosting:
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, (½ stick)
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon limoncello
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- 1. Prepare the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the limoncello and beat an additional minute. On low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter between 12 muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- 2. Prepare the lemon curd. In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the lemon zest, juice and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolk. Whisk the lemon mixture into the eggs to temper them. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
- 3. Prepare the cream cheese limoncello frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the limoncello and beat for an additional minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
- 4. Assemble the cupcakes. Cut a hole into each cupcake with the large end of a melon baller or the back end of a large pastry tip. Fill each cavity with the lemon curd. Fill a pastry bag with a star tip (I used Wilton 1M) with the cream cheese limoncello frosting and pipe onto each cupcake. Decorate with lemon and berries, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hi,
Made these last night and everything seemed to go well, but my cupcakes have a bitter aftertaste. Is this from the baking powder? Anything I can do to fix it now or do I need to bake new ones?
Thanks
love these………….any suggestions for baking as mini cupcakes? Â Â thank you
Hola !! Quiero hacer esta receta puedo omitir el
Licor ? No lo consigo en mi paÃs , qué opción serÃa en su lugar , jugo de limón o leche ? En el caso del frosting y del la masaÂ
I made these cupcakes and they were great. How can I turn this recipe into a layer cake.
I’ve made these as 12 cupcakes, 36 mini cupcakes (you’ll need to make 25% more frosting) and as a layer cake. Excellent in every variation!
For a two-layer cake, the basic recipe for cake needs to be doubled. Use the curd as a filling between layers, but be careful: the curd has no butter in it, which keeps it tart but also prevents it from stiffening. Try cutting each layer of cake in two and using the curd thinly between three layers, or pipe a frosting dam around an uncut layer before spreading the curd more thickly. If you’re going to transport the cake, dowel it for security.
The frosting is soft but pipeable. Add more sugar if you want a stiffer version.
FYI, I add 2 teaspoons of freeze dried lemon powder to the basic cake recipe and another 2 teaspoons to the frosting just to punch up the flavor. You may also add a drop of lemon-yellow gel color to the frosting.Â
Can you make these gluten free?Â
Hi there. I’ve made these before and absolutely LOVED them. I want to make them again, but I’m worried that the frosting won’t pipe well. I have plans to make lion cupcakes for my son’s safari-themed first birthday party and I wonder how well the frosting as-is will pipe. Any experiences using it to pip for decorating cupcakes?
I’ve made them today, and they ar the best cup cake I’ve ever eaten!!! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!
I made this with my daughter last weekend. The cupcakes were so moist and lemony. I reduced the powdered sugar by 1 cup, and increased the limoncello by 2 teaspoons it was perfect. I got so many compliments.
thank you
Hello, I’m wondering if I am able to make the recipe without the limoncello? I also wanted to ask how well the cupcakes rise without the baking soda to accompany the acid? Thank you!!
You can, just substitute another liquid!
Does this recipe double well or should I bake two separate batches?Â
It doubles well!
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it is always a big hit. I would like to play with the texture a bit – if I want a less dense cake texture, would replacing the cream cheese with more butter do the trick? Or beating the egg whites separately and folding them in?
Hi Therese, I haven’t played around with the base cupcake recipe, but those would be good places to start!
Just discovered this and it is amazing. Not too overly lemony, and the cake texture is dense but light, all at the same time! Served these at a party and not one was left. I made a dozen large cupcakes, and 24 mini cupcakes. I did not make the lemon curd, as I have my own (from my mum) recipe. Will definitely make these again. Recipe amounts and timing was spot on.
Can  the lemon lemoncello  recipe be adapted  to a cake.?
Hi Joyce, I haven’t tried turning it into a cake, but if you do so, you’ll want to double the recipe for a 9×13 or two-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
This recipe is absolutely wonderful. It’s delicious, just a little tartness from the curd to balance the sweetness of the frosting. I’ve even doubled the batter recipe to make a cake and use the curd in between the layers and its still just as delicious.
I made these cupcakes for Christmas last year they were delicious! They freeze well too! I will definitely make them again for this Christmas.
Can’t believe this recipe had only one review! This has been a go to recipe for me since 2010! Amazing lemon curd and amazing cupcakes!!!
Your recipes are always a pleasure to make! For the limoncello, I used what I had on hand: one tablespoon of lemon syrup and one tablespoon of vodka. I found the frosting needed a bit more powdered sugar to hold together, but that’s probably just because I lost some while using my makeshift sifter/sieve. I also used one less egg and whole milk instead of buttermilk. I found these stiff pink cupcake liners that were kind of tall and looked like shot glasses and added a half moon lemon on each one, like a drink garnish. So tasty! The most successful thing I’ve done all week!! :)
I made these last night and they were the most delicious lemon cupcakes I’ve ever had! My husband raved about them and he isn’t much of a cupcake guy. Â I will never buy lemon curd again!Â
Would the lemon curd be okay to make the day before and place it in the refrigerator?
Hi Sarah, Yes, absolutely!
I have made these in the past and they are hands down the best cupcakes I’ve ever made, THANK YOU!!! Questions for you, I’d like to make this into a naked layer cake… 1) Do you think adding blueberries to the batter would be okay, or would they possibly mess with the texture? 2) Do you think your measurements for 1 dozen cupcakes equates to about 1 – 8″ or 9″ round single layer? Thank you so much!
Hi Elizabeth, I think the blueberries SHOULD be okay, and yes, 12 cupcakes should equate to a single layer 8 or 9-inch cake.
Hello again! I will be making these cupcakes as well as salted caramel, vanilla (easy vanilla buttercream), chocolate (best choc). I have to make tons for a wedding and would prefer to frost them on-site. Can I prepare the frosting the day before? If so, how do I store it and then just remix before frosting?
Hi Juli, You can definitely make the frosting the day before. Store it in the refrigerator; the next day let it come to room temperature and give it a good hearty stir with a rubber spatula. If it’s too stiff, you may need to beat it briefly with a mixer to get it nice and smooth again.
So good! Perfect level of sweetness. I made the cupcakes and filling yesterday, then filled and frosted them today for a baby shower. I was asked multiple times where I bought them. That felt good. Since I couldn’t possibly waste them, the leftover moist little centers of the cupcakes will be paired with whipped cream & strawberries for dessert tonight. And more limoncello.
I have been asked to make these for a bridal shower. I was wondering about freezing them so I can make them a week or two before. I have been told that cupcakes should be kept air tight until it comes to room temperature and then they should be opened. I am wondering if I need to do something different since they have a filling? Have you had any experience freezing these or other cupcakes? Have you ever froze cupcakes with frosting on them? Thanks!!
Hi Vicki, I usually do not recommend freezing cupcakes with frosting, as the texture can be compromised, but rather freeze the cake part and frost them a day in advance or so.
I’ve made these cupcakes several times over the past few years and they are 100% the most delicious thing to ever exist, and my whole family thinks so too. I love the unique texture of the cake. Thank you for this amazingness!!
I know you probably get a ton of mail! But could I make these without the lemon curd and just top with a dark chocolate frosting? I love lemon and dark chocolate but wondered what you thought. . .thanks!
Hi Jennifer, Yes, you could definitely do that, sounds awesome!
I’ve made these cupcakes a few times, but now I’m being asked if I can make them into a cake! Do you know how much I should make for a standard 9*13 recipe? I was thinking of multiplying everything by 2.5, but I just wanted to check to see if you’d done this or had a better idea! Thanks so much! (These are very delicious, by the way!)
You should double the recipe for a 9×13 pan. I hope that helps!
I just finished making these as a teacher gift, and of course I had to steal one. Then my kids each stole one, and now the teacher will get to enjoy 9 of the most amazing lemon cupcakes in the world! Thanks for posting such great recipes!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for another wonderful cupcake recipe! I just have a question about the lemon curd. I doubled the entire recipe. I ended up with 28 cupcakes, but I did not end up with very much lemon curd, only about 3/4 cup. Did I do something wrong, or should I just cut out very small pieces of cake so I only put a little lemon curd in each cupcake? Or do you think I did something wrong? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, I answered my own question. I had just the right amount of lemon curd for 24 cupcakes. My husband loved the lemon curd so much I’m going to make more for him to put on his toast in the morning! The cupcakes were a hit for my husband’s birthday happy hour. I doubled the amount of limoncello and added more powdered sugar in the frosting.
Hello! I would love to make these cupcakes for my class’s bake sale but I’m not sure if young students are allowed to eat baked goods with liqour in it, in this case limoncello. And if I can’t what type of replacement can I use? Looks amazing by the way!
If you can’t use the liquor, then you can substitute lemon extract, but a very small amount will go a long way to achieve the lemon flavor. Limoncello is much subtle in flavor.
I would love to make these cupcakes. We love lemon. What is limecello?
Hi Susan, It’s an Italian liquor made from lemon peels.
I made these cupcakes twice now, once in full size and once in minis! The balance in all the flavors together is absolutely amazing! Thank you! My cupcake seem to be coming out a bit more dense than I’d like though, especially in the minis. Is there any way to make it just a tad more fluffy?
Hi Jinna, You can try adding ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon baking soda and see if that helps get you a fluffier cupcake.
To make the lemon curd do i have to add butter? Because when i youtube how to make lemon curd they all show it with butter so im a bit confused lol
No, you do not need to add butter to this, but if you prefer to use a different lemon curd recipe, you absolutely could.
What is a good substitute for limoncello?
These cupcakes were delicious! I made them with homemade limoncello made from Meyer lemons. The balance of the sweet cake and frosting and tart custard is perfect—filled cupcakes never fail to impress. The cake itself is dense and moist. Excellent accompaniment to the spring beer tasting we held with our beer club. :)
I just made these, and YUMMMM!!. The curd was a little too tart for everyone else (but I liked the contrast to the sweet), so next time i will add more sugar.
These look so good. This will be my next project.
Can you freeze the cupcakes then fill ang frost later?
Hi Agnes, Yes, you can definitely do that.
I made these yesterday and followed the recipe to a T. I found that the cupcakes were a bit too heavy, not nice and fluffy as I had hoped. The flavor was very good though, I used fresh lemons from my lemon tree.Maybe the 3 eggs made it heavy?? Any suggestions for a lighter cupcake?
Your presentation is beautiful, they look very delicious.
I made these cupcakes and I can tell you that they are very good! definitely recommend! even my pictures came out really good :)
This might be a dumb question but should I leave out the lemonchello if serving these to children?
Hi Kimberly, I would definitely leave it out of the frosting. People are split in terms of how much alcohol cooks off in a baked good, so that’s really your call. I can’t say for sure what percentage of it bakes off.
The amount of limoncello in the frosting is small and divided among 12 cupcakes. 1/12 of a T of limoncello is more alcohol than you would get using vanilla extract (which is in an alcohol base) but not enough that I would personally worry about. My 7yo daughter ate these and loved them. I guess my advice would be to use your own discretion. I would feed them to my own kids but maybe not make them for a school birthday party.
I made these over the weekend and they were great! We had guests over and everyone was raving about how “fresh” they tasted. I too tasted the lemon curd after it cooled and thought it was way too tart, but as you said above in the recipe once it was in the cupcakes with the frosting it worked perfectly. One thing I noticed was that my curd had little white swirls/chunks in it which I do not see in yours from the pictures. I Googled it and they said that will happen if you don’t strain your lemon juice. This wasn’t mentioned in the recipe so I never thought to do it and next time around I definitely would because I would like a smooth yellow texture. I don’t think it changed the flavor at all but if you are a perfectionist with baking as I am, then the white swirls will bother you. Also one more thing to note – next time around I would double the frosting recipe. I also use the Wilton 1M tip and just barely had enough frosting to do all the cupcakes and that was with frosting them on the very light side.
Literally the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. Absolutely amazing. Added some limoncello to the lemon curd as well, turned out awesome. Only recommendation I have: make sure to refrigerate for at least a little bit before serving. They’re still 100% delicious fresh, but the lemon is really tart until chilled.
how should i store these?! i just made some for my birthday party tonight – but dont know how to store until then – THEY ARE SO GOOD!!! :D
Hi Hannah, They can be kept at room temperature for up to 12 hours or so, then refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
Can these be topped off with buttercream frosting instead of cream cheese?
Sure!
Stunning!
We are limoncello addicts ( well, maybe not addicts) however, we make a LOT of homemade limoncello & lemon curd every winter, the second Meyer lemons show up in the stores!
No sooner did we put the finishing touches on your simply amazing Mocha Cupcakes to take to a friend’s birthday/football party…We found this! Well we laughed because we had everything to make these and so we were off & running!
Because we use Meyers, we always keep a couple “regular” lemons around for the tartness. We used those for the zest. We decorated them with fresh blackberries. OMG! we have, in one day, made our all time favorites! Thank You!
I use my work colleagues as my beta test group. I think lemon is a rather polarizing taste, either you like it or you don’t. Made the original recipe and as expected, those who like lemon LOVED them, those who don’t didn’t care for them. Everyone, though, loved the dense texture of the cake. So I tried substituting orange zest and OJ in the cupcakes, along with Grand Marnier, did not create a filling, and made frosting with the Grand Marnier. Nice subtle orange flavor, more accepted by my beta testers.
I made these today and they are phenomenal. Seriously. The best cupcakes I have ever eaten. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi! These are so cute! I am featuring these in a cupcake roundup tomorrow. Thought I would let you know. Thanks for posting them!
I made these and froze some in a ziplock bag then put the bag of cupcakes in an airtight container. Â They werestored in the freezer for 1 week then place in refrigerator to thaw. Â They were very dry! Â How do you recommend freezing?
Just tried these and they are fantastic! Thank you for sharing. My stepson said they are the best cupcakes he’s ever had.
These are by far some of the BEST cupcakes I have ever made! The lemon curd filling is delicious!
~Bryce
http://www.brycesweetsnsours.com/
Made these today, great flavor, but I really think that these need some baking soda due to all the acidic ingredients (buttermilk, lemon juice) I think that would help them rise better as there would be a better reaction between the leaveung agent and the acids. another note, one might try two eggs and then an egg white (or two) to substitue the third egg, that will definitely aerate the batter as well. I also added lemon juice to the frosting and doubled the limoncello, I’m a fan of bright, tangy lemon flavor and that was lacking in the frosting before I added the lemon juice. Definitely a good recipe to have on hand, but next time I will tweak to avoid such a dense cake.
I was really looking forward to making these, but after making two batches of them, I was really disappointed. I followed the directions to a “T” and the cakes were very dense, overly flour tasting, and even a little dry. And the lemon curd filling… Wow! Talk about sour! The frosting was great, but nothing else seemed to turn out tasty. If I’m doing something wrong, please let me know.
Made these cupcakes yesterday. Very delicious. Reminds me of
lemon meringue pie. Going to make the pumpkin cupcake today.
These are delicious! Tastes like summer in a cupcake. I made the Limoncello cupcakes and the Margarita ones and brought them both to work. Everyone liked both, but the Limoncello ones were definitely the winner. Now i have a giant bottle of Limoncello in my fridge and i’m not a fan of drinking it straight … guess i’ll just have to make these cupcakes a few more times. Sounds good to me! :)
Thank you so much. I’ve made your mocha-espresso cupcakes twice in two weeks (no fail!) and am now determined to try more of these. Can you confirm the amount of butter and cream cheese in the batter? I think mine could use more fat (tasty, but not fluffy). I may have mixed up the conversion of ‘sticks’ to cups… if you could provide the measurement in cups, that would be amazing!
Thank you!
Hi Erin, It’s a 1/4 cup butter in the cupcakes.
Just made these today for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. In a word, EPIC!!
The only thing I could take exception to was was merely a trifle, a matter of taste in that the fine, moist crumb is a little denser than I’d like. I believe that could be obviated by using triple-sifted cake flour in place of the all-purpose flour the next time. But that represents a very tiny, very minor flaw and others might not be bothered by it at all. BTW, this made far more than just a dozen cupcakes. After filling 12 cups, I scraped the rest into a small loaf pan, which was just perfect (didn’t need anymore cupcakes. But the little loaf will be great with some tea in the morning!) It should be noted that these don’t rise a whole lot, so you can fill the cups fuller than with many recipes. 3/4 full will not overflow. I did something just a little different, in that in place of the lemon curd, I made a thick filling out of my daughter’s favorite fruit, fresh blueberries, spooning about a teaspoonful into the center of each. I am billing them as “Limoncello Surprise Cupcakes.” Next time, it’s lemon curd. Since I always keep a bottle of limoncello in the freezer, it was nice to use it for something other than a summer aperitif. The flavor of these little gems is a symphony for the taste buds, with just the right degree of tartness, enhanced by the perfect sweetness. The frosting is to DIE for. Clean, uncomplicated lemony, buttery ambrosia that melts lovingly into heavenly bliss on your tongue. Can’t speak highly enough for this recipe!
what on earth is a ‘stick’ of butter?
Butter is typically sold in stick form in the U.S. Each stick is 4 ounces, if you need to work out a conversion.
I don’t know what I did wrong but mine didn’t turn out at all… They didn’t rise and the middle was chewy, almost like bubble gum. I must have made a mistake with converting cups to centiliters (I’m European and I wasn’t quite sure if American cups are the same as European ones ;-) ). I already noticed something wasn’t right when I was adding the eggs… Also I needed 24 cupcakes instead of 12 so I doubled all the ingredients, or should I not have done that? It’s a shame cause yours look delicious!!
i was wondering i looked at this cupcakes and they look delicious but befor i cook them i want to ask if they are TO LEMONY i like lemon but not exstremly and if they are a bit rich thanks i love your site!
or two sweet
Hi Bella, Unfortunately, I find all of those things to be pretty subjective. What’s too lemony, too rich or too sweet to one person may not be to another person. I would recommend trying the recipe and if you find it to be any of those things, make adjustments as needed.
I made your cupcakes and they were a hit. My husband liked them so much that he’s asked that I bake his birthday cake using this recipe!!! I’m wondering if I could bake the cake and freeze it for a week before adding the lemon curd and frosting. Any thoughts on that? Thank you for the recipe.
Hi I am a bit confused about the directions to divide between 12 muffin tins. Does this recipe actually require twelve muffin tins or did you mean 2 muffin tins with twelve cups? Is there a way to make the recipe without buying ten more muffin tins?
Divide the batter between each of the 12 cups in the muffin tin. You only need one 12-cup muffin tin.
Hey(: I made this recipe tons of times now and plan on making them for my sister’s graduation which on Saturday. However, the kitchen won’t really be available tomorrow, and I probably wouldn’t have much time on the day of the party. So, to get to my point, would these cupcakes still taste good after a 2 days. (Frankly they never really last that long because my family eats them all haha.) I was wondering if it’s fine to just make the batter and then just refrigerate it until the morning of the party and bake. (Same question with the frosting as well?) Or if not, will they still taste yummy if I bake and frost them all today and serve them on saturday evening? (I would out the raspberries day of.) Please let me know! Thanks (:
Lol, I meant put the raspberries, not out them. Sorry for the spelling errors, it’s not my specialty. (:
Hi Lena, You would be fine to bake them 2 days in advance, just make sure you place them in a covered airtight container and keep them at room temperature. I would recommend frosting and decorating them the day of the party, though. You could make the frosting 2 days in advance, then refrigerate it until the morning of. You’d need to rewhip before piping it.
Can i freeze these cupcakes??6
Yes, but I would freeze them without the frosting. I would thaw them, then frost them within a day of serving.
if i eat those i would die happy
I made these cupcakes once for my grandmother’s birthday party and they were a huge hit! They were even requested for my sister-in-law’s bridal shower! Everybody loves how they are just lemon-y enough. The curd is always the unanimous favorite. At first I thought that the curd would be too tart, but with the combination of the cupcake and the frosting, it is perfect. Thank you so much for the recipe!! I have no doubt that I will be using it again!
I made these 3 times now. The third were for my daughters birthday. They were the best batch of the three and a big hit.
Love this recipe, but made the following alterations to make it less dense and more flavorful (issues I had with my first batch)
1. Added a 1/4th cup less flower and a 1/4th teaspoon more baking powder
2. Doubled the lemon juice and zest in the batter
3. Added zest to the frosting
Absolutely love these, I’ve made these like a hundred times and I have to say it gets better with time. Everyone who tries these are just in love, and its not too sweet which is good since my family is not really into sweets. And luckily for me an inexperienced cupcake maker these turned out perfect. I have to admit the 1st time I made the curd (my first time making curd) it sort of turned into egg. Haha. But I guess error makes you better? And I was wondering about the toppings, my raspberries tend to..mmmm stain the frosting? I don’t know just like the juice I guess from the berries sort of gradually changes the color of the frosting around it making it look a little sloppy. And usually when I make these its for a gathering and by time we get to them it’s about 5 hours later, so yeah. I haven’t tried putting the lemon cuz I’m afraid the acid from the lemon would do the same??
I can not get recipe to pull up I found it this am but can’t pull it up now,
Doubled the recipe for my husband’s birthday and it was a big hit! My husband loves lemon everything and needless to say, he loved these cupcakes with the limecello kick. The flavors of the cake, lemon curd, and frosting complimented each other perfectly. However, the cake was a little too dense for me and would like to know if it could be the cream cheese that made it dense. Thanks for the fantastic recipe as I plan to make this again very soon!
What to do with an unexpected snow day and a bottle of limoncello that’s been at the back of the fridge for about 2 years? Make these cupcakes, of course! They are beautiful AND delicious! I decided to ramp up the limoncello taste by brushing the cupcakes with limoncello before I frosted them. It gave them a nice little kick! I will definitely make these again.
Made these yesterday and they were wonderful! Decorated with sliced candy lemons and yellow flakes-absolutely beautiful! If you’re looking for a cupcake with a lot of lemon flavor -this one is it! I did add some lemon extract to the frosting for a little extra kick:)
I just finished baking these but had a problem because the cupcakes did not rise as I expected them to. So instead I had little half inch thick cakes. Not sure what could have gone wrong. Still tasted delicious, though.
I had the same problem…
I made this last night with limoncello I made a couple a weeks ago, and hello! they turned out totally delicious! The rich lemon taste… it was… aaahhh! Totally worth the time and all! I live in Sweden so I had to convert the measurement and use swedish ingredients but that made no difference – apparently ;O)
I made these and I am so impressed! These are the best cupcakes I have ever made. Mine weren’t as pretty but my — they taste great! Definitely using this recipe again.
Can lemon extract be used instead of Limoncello? Also, will the be ok for a 6″ cake pan?
Hi Amber, You can use lemon extract, but I would probably only use 1/2 as much. The batter will be too much for a 6″ cake pan; you would need to use an 8″ pan.
Loves all of your cupcakes presentation, it’s gorgeous and tempting too!
won these for Poynton show! :) they look delicious but i dint ry mine!! :( xxx
Hi,
I just tried your recipe (my first cupcakes ever:-) and they turned out fabulous!!! I love the curd in the middle, it gives an amazing flavor explosion! I was a bit hesitant at first that the batter was too sweet, and the curb too tart, but in the end it all fitted together perfectly – I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I look forward to trying another one soon!
Christa
My cupcakes also turned out dense but were moist and tasty- more like a pound cake than what I think of when I think of cupcakes, but a friend commented that the cupcake bakeries in our home area in the States make similar dense and moist cupcakes! The curd was way too tart, so I had to make a quick syrup with a bit of water and another 1/4 c sugar to stir into it. Next time I will definately at least double the called for sugar in the curd. Also, I currently live in China where I can’t find limoncello so I used a concentrated lemon syrup, worked well. Great recipe. Loved by all who were lucky enough to try one.
I made this for work and people LOVED them!!! My husband, who doesn’t like cake or frosting, loved them too. I used extra lemon juice instread of the liquer and they still turned out fabulous!!! Thank you!
My friend and I made this earlier today and they turned out fantastic! The creaminess of the icing, along with the moist texture of the cupcakes offered a lovely balance to the tartness of the filling. All together they were splendid! And very satisfying. We’ll definitely be making this again! :)
MICHEEEEEEELLE!!!! :D thank you soooooo much for this wonderfuL recipe!! i baked this yesterday and my staff incLuding our big boss reaLLy Love it! :) we don’t have raspberries here for garnish so i used watermelon balls instead. i foLLowed your instructions carefuLLy that’s why it was a huge success. :) thanks a Lot B.E.B!
PS: i’LL be baking grape muffin using your bLueberry muffin recipe next time. :)
I wanted to love these cupcakes but they were so dense. My husband loves anything with lemon and he did not like these! I wasted so much time and ingredients…..I followed your recipe exactly but they cupcakes were more like muffins or maybe even heavier. What could have happened?
Hi Eva, If they were dense, it could have been caused by overmixing the batter or accidentally overbaking the cupcakes.
Just delicious! this amazing recipe was approved by all my European and Latino friends! easy to prepare and to get the expected result. even the presentation was so easy to follow that my cupcakes looked exactly as the one above. I’m more than happy, thanks for sharing it!
These cupcakes are so yummy!!! Actually, that doesnt even begin to describe how these taste! The cupcake itself is very much like Angel Food cake with lemon. Even before baking, the batter is beautiful, delicious and even a little frothy. At first I thought the curd filling was too tart but once its combined with the cupcake, the flavors blend wonderfully and its not overly tart.
I feel like you can never go wrong with lemon so this recipe will be kept forever and ever!
Hi,
Can you tell me where you purchased the white folded cups that surround your beautiful cupcakes?
Kind regards,
Jen
Hi Jen, I bought them at Michael’s.
Hi,
I seriously love this cupcakes, just the look of them makes me mouth-watering. But i got a problem :(, i can´t use limoncello, my prohibed to drink or eat alcohol, i can´t used it in any way, would u recommend me something to substitute the limoncello?? Thank u very much!!! Btw i love ur page! it´s amazing, to say the least!!!
The recipe calls for such little of the Limoncello… just add more lemon, but be careful not to over do the lemon too… You could actually leave it out. I have done that with the Margharita cupcakes… I think it is more for the added flavor.
Hi Lucia, I would just omit the limoncello. You’ll get enough lemon flavor from the other components of the recipe.
I made these for a BBQ and they were a hit! As my friend said, “I would pay for these cupcakes!”
Made these for Father’s Day. They were a HIT!!! Very light and refreshing. I was amazed at how easy they were to make too!
I made these again for a baby shower and again they were totally awesome. Much preferred over the vanilla and chocolate ones that I also made (which were also good, but can’t hold a candle to the lemon). Even my curmudgeonish brother liked them, and he doesn’t like much.
I’ve made them as both full size cupcakes and mini ones and I’ve not had trouble w/ either. They aren’t really spongy like cake mix cupcakes, but they aren’t dense either, just so good. And I love, love, love the bite of the curd as it mixes with the creamy frosting and the cakey goodness. I can’t wait to have a reason to make them again.
I made these cupcakes twice today. Neither batch came out correct. They were both rubbery and dense. The first batch looked fine out of the oven and then fell when cooling. The second batch started to brown at 20 mins. so I took them out of the oven. They were not completely cooked and some were gooey. I see some posts questioning the 3 eggs. I am going to make them again and if they don’t turn out…. oh well. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Hi Michelle, so our family are FIRM non-alcoholic drinkers.. would you be able to substitute lemonade for the limoncello ?
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tried it, but you could certainly give it a go. Limoncello is a mellow flavor, so I would take that into account when making the lemonade for the recipe.
Sounds good, I’ll take that into account when I give these a try.. I’ll let you know how they turn out :) thanks!
I just finished my cupcakes, and Im a little disapointed. My cupcakes are dense, my filling is not as thick as i think it should be, and my icing is definently not as thick as it should be. Everything tastes really good, but I wish I knew where I went wronge. Im sure its not the recipe. It must be something I’ve done. Please help, so next time they will be better.
Hi Mine – For the cupcakes, make sure you don’t overmix the batter to keep them from becoming dense. It sounds like the curd filling may have potentially not been cooked long enough if it’s not thick enough, and if the frosting is too soft, you can try starting with cold cream cheese or adding more powdered sugar.
Hi there ! there’s look fantastic to make! was wondering, if i dont use limoncello, what can i replace it with? thanks!
Hi Hiba, There is no real substitute, as it’s a much subtler flavor than lemon juice or extract. You can just omit it.
I spent the afternoon baking these and one member of my family liked them. The cake is very dense, and the curd is very strong bordering on bitter. I added an extra tsp of limoncello to the frosting for flavor. Everyone agreed the frosting was the best feature of the cupcakes.
Making these without the liquor (kids), but was wondering how you store them? Since the even is in the morning and I’m making it the day before, what are your suggestions to keep cupcakes moist if I put them in the fridge?
Hi Elaine, If possible, I would make them and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and frost them in the morning. If you can’t, then make sure whatever you store them in inside the refrigerator is absolutely airtight to keep them as moist as possible.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I made them this weekend and they were a big hit! The weather here is FINALLY getting warmer and I wanted something that felt (and tasted) like Spring. These were PERFECT!
I have made over 200 of these for my son’s Senior Composition Recital. The first batch I made were with Gluten-free flour and soured milk (instead of buttermilk). That first batch were beautiful, rose perfectly and everything was great. The 200 I made after that were with the cake flour & buttermillk – they didn’t rise and were not beautiful – the taste, texture, lemon curd and frosting pulled them off! I am not sure what the deal was and will stick with the sour milk/GF flour! Everyone loves them, even those who don’t like the taste of lemon!
Gluten free! Yes!! I need to make these gluten free! What flour did you use?Â
I made these for easter and looooved them. Like another poster, i too found the lemon curd to be overwhelmingly lemony, (maybe my lemons?) so will only use the juice and zest from one lemon next time. I also had to add slightly more icing sugar to the icing to make it the right consistency for piping. Beautiful presentation and these are amazing! Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
Delicious. Even though I overzested the lemons and made the curd a bit bitter (don’t overzest!), they came out really awesome. I did not taste the limoncello in them, but other people said they did. Thanks for the recipe!
Made these last night for a Thai -themed dinner party (Thai uses lots of citrus flavors, so they finished the heavy meal with a bright, light taste). They turned out PERFECT! no problems. They take some time to make from start to finish, but each step is simple and easy to follow, well worth the effort! The lemon curd filling is to die for…. I licked the pot clean! All together it was a moist, well thought-out cupcake. My guests and Husband loved them! Will make them again. VERY GOOD RECIPE!!! Thanks Brown Eyed Baker!!!
I made these as mini cupcakes for a teacher luncheon today and they were awesome! Not one was left, good thing I saved back a few for my kids. The curd was so mouth puckering on its own, but delicious with the cake and frosting. Everyone raved about the flavor. Thanks!
I made these last night and I was very sad with how they turned out. I found the cupcake really dense and the frosting was super runny. Did I do something wrong? I would love to make them again if I could get them to turn out better. Please help me! Thanks.
Maybe your cream cheese and butter was too soft for the frosting? That’s usually why my frosting is limp. I made a second batch of frosting and it was more runny than the first, I’m guessing because it was much hotter in the kitchen by afternoon. As for the cake, I found it hard to get the lemon juice to incorporate w/o overmixing. I ended up folding it in by hand so that the cake wouldn’t get too dense by mixing too much with my mixer.
Ditto Heather’s comments, I was going to say the same thing. It sounds like the batter may have been overmixed and the cream cheese was too warm.
I’ve tried making these cupcakes and they turned out way to dense. It definitely isn’t a fluffy cupcake that I’m used. The flavor is great and it is very lemony but I just recommend doubling the baking powder in the cake recipe.
These look spectacular. Most cupcakes/cakes taste artificial, but these look like they’ll pop with flavor (especially using limoncello (how could you not love it after seeing “Under the Tuscan Sun”? ;o). You mentioned using the cupcake tin … but no papers? You have it pictured in a paper cup above. If you use just the tin itself, do you use anything to prevent the batter from sticking? Apologies if I missed something, and that it should be a given to use cupcake papers. I’m very excited to try these! Thanks for your kind suggestions.
Hi MJo, I do use paper liners in the muffin tins. My apologies for omitting that step!
Thanks much! I’m anxious to try these (and a few sips of the limoncello while cooking won’t hurt … remember the Galloping Gourmet? ;o) Take care and thanks for posting this wonderful recipe!
Wow… fabulous recipe and photos. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing!
These cupcakes are delicious! I was so glad we had some Limoncello just lying around. However, I may just use some store bought filling in the future… this filling was a bit tart for me. Otherwise, these cupcakes were incredible!
Made these this weekend, and they were FAB , my husband and kids loved them, thanks so much, they are super easy and I even made lemon curd for the first time..yippee
These look beautiful and delicious!! I wanted a nice and light dessert t go with the chicken alfredo I’ll be making for dinner today and this eill be what Im going to try. Unfortunately I’m undrt 21 so I’ll be subing the alcohol with something I can purchade.
These cupcakes were delicious! I was so happy that when I wanted to make these, we just happened to have Limoncello just lying around… talk about good luck! And I also thought the lemon curd just a little bit tart…next time, I might just add a tad more sugar perhaps? But overall, this was definitely the best lemon cupcake recipe I’ve ever used!
hmmmm these were goood but they tasted like lemon bars!!! YUMMMMM
These look beautiful! i just made them and there in the oven right now :)
Hey is it okay if i put this recpie and pic on my blog? I will tell how wonderful browneyedbaker.com cupcakes are!
Thanks you so much for sharing this recpie!
even though i havent tried them yet (in the oven baking)
i have a good feeling about these cupcakes :)
Im going to make them again tomorrow for my cousions!!!
Thanks sooo much!
check out my blog: http://yunaemilyshin.blogspot.com/
:)
Yuna
Absolutely! I just ask for a link back, thank you! :)
Hi, tried these at the weekend and they came out very dense, although very tasty! I wondered if I had converted one of my ingredients from US to UK incorrectly??? I’ll try again and if I get a good conversion I will post the recipe as a UK recipe if that’s ok, Michelle?
Can you substitute oil for butter?
Hi Bridgette, I have not experimented with this substitution. I imagine it would alter the texture of the cupcakes, but you could always give it a try. If you give it a go I’d love to know how it turns out!
I love lemon and especially Limoncello (ever since my first trip to Sorrento!) so I was delighted to find your recipe. I am going to try making a cake pop version of these cupcakes and will let you know how it goes!
Hey Michelle!
If I were to use lemon extract in the batter and frosting in place of Limoncello, would I have to make any other changes in the recipe if I want to achieve a flavor as close to the original recipe as possible?
Thanks!
Hi Meryam, I would cut the amount in half, as lemon extract has a much stronger/concentrated flavor than the limoncello, which is more mellow.
Where can I find limoncello? Would typical grocery stores have it?
Hi Rachel, Limoncello is a liquor, so wherever you buy liquor – here in PA that would be state stores, but I know some states do sell it in the grocery store.
I have tried several of your recipes (all wonderful) and can’t wait to try this one. I have never tried limoncello but I am going to just to try this recipe. I don’t even drink liquor but this sounds wonderful. I had to look up limoncello to see what it was.
I made these cupcake for our
youngest daughter who is crazy about lemons, she loved this recipe…….the rest of the family thought the lemon curd was waaaay to tart. At least one member of our family is happy, thanks for sharing the recipe :-)
Hello! I just loved the way these cupcakes looked and I’m a nut for anything citrus-y so I had to try them out. I did have a little trouble making them however. The cupcakes looked great when I took them out of the oven but they shrank a lot and became very dense and rubbery after they cooled. Any ideas why?
Hi Alexandra, That texture could have been caused due to overmixing of the batter.
I just made these cupcakes and they turned out horrible! No fault of anyones but mine. I think that the buttermilk was a little sour, it is hard to tell with buttermilk. Anyway, I would like to try again tonight and am wondering if I can use sour cream instead of buttermilk. I am determined to get this to work.;)
Hi Kathleen, That’s a good question, I have never done that substitution so I can’t say for sure how it would work with these cupcakes, but it might work. Let me know what you end up doing!
Hi
What is limoncello?
Also, I’m guessing I have to use powdered sugar, not granulated?
Thanks
Hi Julie, Limoncello is a lemon-flavored liquor. As far as the sugar… as stated in the recipe, for the cupcakes and lemon curd you use granulated sugar, for the frosting you use powdered sugar.
I made these today. Very dense but moist and delicious! I also had trouble with the frosting consistency. Looked a little droopy. Would chilling it for a bit make it a little more dense for piping? Maybe my butter and cream cheese were too soft to start. Will try again!
Hi Karen, Chilling for a little bit would definitely get it stiffer. You could also add more powdered sugar to stiffen it up a bit.
I loved the presentation, but i think this would be truly too sweet for me. Not good for a diabetic. Has any one actually tried this, if so please give feedback # my opinion
I made these cupcakes yesterday. The only thing I cheated on was I bought ready-made lemon curd. I passed them out to neighbors last night and to co-workers this morning. They were a big hit! I am making them again for a block party this weekend. They are so special.
I made these for am impromtu picnic. Despite the multiple steps for the cupcake, curd and frosting, I had these ready for transport in 1.5 hours. Everyone said that this was the quinissential summer cupcake. I, of course, copied your garnishing. Everyone was impressed. I worried that the lemon curd was going to be too tart when I tasted it, but once in the cupcake and topped with the frosting, everything was perfectly balanced. Your recipes keep me coming back for more!!
Made these fourth of July weekend and they were so delicious! Nice refreshing lemon flavor. I made the Irish Carbomob cupcakes for St Paddys’ and now these. I have become a master of cupcakes thanks to these two recipes! Thank you so much for sharing and I just love this site. Planning on the malted milk whopper cookies this weekend since I, too, had ordered that malted milk powder last time from King Arthurs! GMTA!
Bought limoncello for the sole purpose of making these cupcakes. Came out beautifully and delicious. Wish I could upload a pic to show. Thanks for recipe. And your right about how you have to eat the whole cupcake to taste the balance of the curd with the cake and frosting.
Hi, I was wondering what consistency the frosting is? Is it like a thick, sturdy consistency that I can use to pipe flowers?? I know it has cream cheese so it is most likely thin but, just wondering!
Hi Julia, This icing is definitely stiff enough to pipe, if you feel that it’s too thin for flowers just add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it up a bit.
I found your site yesterday while I was looking for pancake cupcakes. I just want to say that I am now a big fan. I do a lot of baking and I just love your site. I decorate cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. Thanks for sharing your talented work.
This recipe looked too good to not try and I was not disappointed! The three parts of this recipe went together PERFECTLY and my family loved these cupcakes!
May I ask your opinion on buttermilk? I used a full fat buttermilk for this cupcake. They were very good, but heavy, dense and a little dry. Would the fat in the milk make a difference? Do you specify low fat when necessary? Thanks. The homemade curd was easy and very good.
Hi Sue, I actually don’t specify low-fat buttermilk but that is all I use because that’s all that is sold in the stores that I frequent. I apologize that it caused some less than ideal results! I will definitely note low-fat from now on!
Made these a couple weeks ago – they were amazing!
My only problem was that the frosting didn’t thicken enough and I couldn’t taste the limoncello. I ended up having to double the sugar in order to even get it close to piping consistency. And of course, I added a bit extra limoncello. =)
I finally made these after reading about them for months! I’m not sure if they came out exactly how they were supposed to but I did get rave reviews nonetheless. I was worried about the amount of cupcakes so I doubled the recipe. I was able to make 3 dozen for a double recipe. My cupcakes did not really rise and I only filled them about 3/4 of the way because that’s what I thought I should have done but I guess I should have filled them close to the top? Does this happen to you? And do yours come out super dense? And I’m not sure if I really needed the limoncello. I’m not sure what effect it had and I had to spend $15 for a whole bottle…but thankfully, it doesn’t go bad. I don’t know if it was the fact that I doubled the recipe or what but the recipe took me a long time to make between the zesting, squeezing, sifting, hollowing out the whole, etc…I’m exhausted! OK, I have a newborn, exhausting almost 5 yr old and a full time job so maybe that’s it. I’m not sure if I’ll ever make them again even though people loved them but if nothing else, I invested in the disposable frosting bags from Wilton (excellent!) and the 1M tip that will now be my go-to tip so I definitely learned from this experience!
Lisa, I’m super impressed that you even tackle baking with a newborn, a 5 year old and a full time job!
May I suggest some things that may help you? You could make the lemon curd one day and refrigerate it. You can zest all the lemon(s) up and squeeze the juice ahead of time…I zest up and juice a whole bunch of lemons (and limes) ahead of time and freeze them in airtight containers. I freeze them in the smallest Rubbermaid containers (or small plastic margarine tubs.) You can make up the frosting ahead and keep it in the fridge. I LOVE these cupcakes SO much that it’s worth the effort to me. My cupcakes were pretty dense and didn’t rise super high, but I love the texture!
And if you don’t have a “Fine” microplane zester, I HIGHLY recommend one, this tool cut my zesting time WAY down! Make sure you get one that says “Fine.” My zester even has a plastic guard to help the ‘blades’ from getting bent. I have one like this – http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Grater-Zester/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1308546588&sr=8-3
Good luck and keep baking!
These were the fist cupcakes I made from your site. I thought they were time consuming too. Mine were dense too and did not rise much, i thought i did something wrong at first. I finished them late at night and figured i would taste test the next morning before taking them to work since they didnt look perfect, but boy did they taste yummy! So many compliments on them. I will definitely make them again!
Thanks for he hints above, and the suggestion on the microzester!
These sound so yummy!! Michelle I was wondering… I don’t like cream cheese frosting, is there a substitute icing you could use instead? I’m sure everyone would love them with the cream cheese but sometimes it has to be about me too..right?? hahaha
Hi Shelby, This is my favorite vanilla icing: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/28/vanilla-cupcakes-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/ You could use that base and put the limoncello in place of the vanilla.
I am new to your site but have already made several of your recipes and have loved them all! I am curious on how you decorated these cupcakes (or actually all your cupcakes for that matter). What frosting tip did you use? They are beautiful!
Hi Denise, Thank you! I use a Wilton 1M decorating tip.
Hi,
I made these cupcakes for Easter as well but made a white chocolate / coconut ganche to fill them and then made a coconut rum buttercream to go on top. They came out amazing and received many compliments! Thanks for the recipe and for inspiring creativity :)
Kristin
I made these for Easter also and they are fantastic. I ended up with more lemon juice than called for in the curd and used it anyway. I won’t do that next time, (and I will make them again!) but the tartness melds with the sweetness of the frosting and the cupcake itself and is an awesome combination.
To Die For! I just made these for our family’s Easter Dinner yesterday and OMG! SOOOO GOOD! I doubled the recipe (thank god)…because everyone gobbled them up! Doubling the reciped made 30 cupcakes :)
I made the cupcakes today and have to question the use of 3 eggs in this recipe. Although the cupcakes had a decent flavor, the texture was spongy/rubbery which leads me to believe that the third egg isn’t necessary in a recipe that yields only 12 cupcakes. Regular cake mixes call for 3 eggs and they produce twice as many. Hmmm.
I was wondering this same thing. I made them tonite, and mine too turned out dense and eggy. I went back and double checked the recipe and questioned the 3 eggs. They are good, just a weird texture. I will add the curd and frosting tomorrow-hopefully this helps.
I feel the same, they felt a bit “spongy”. Other than that, they were amazing! You couldn’t taste the alcohol of the limoncello at all, which, for me, is a good thing. The filling was zesty, the topping delicious. I will definitely make these again – maybe with one egg less. ;)
I had the same problem, and the other thing is that the cupcakes need to be filled higher than normal cupcakes because they flatten out and become too short. Usually filling a baking cup 2/3 full makes very fluffy cupcakes, but these didn’t rise at all, so definitely use the whole batter for only 12 cupcakes!
I have now made these cupcakes on 2 separate occasions and both times they were a huge hit. Everyone is asking for the recipe! They are wonderful!
I made these for Valentine’s Day, along with your Red Velvet cupcakes, and both were amazing! I’m more of a cook, not a baker, so when my husband accused me of buying both, I took it as a huge compliment! I will confess, however, I topped the limoncello cupcakes with a strawberry frosting I came up using the frosting recipe for this one as the base, simply adding a strawberry puree (from 1/2 cup frozen strawberries I had) and a bit more powdered sugar (to thicken) and 1 1/2 more TBSPs of butter. I still threw in a little dash of the limoncello and a bit of lemon zest, conjuring up thoughts of strawberry lemonade frosting. My husband is to blame as I know he’s not the biggest fan of lemon and I thought I could woo him better with the pink stuff. They were a HIT! The pink frosting looked beautiful against the yellow lemon curd and pretty cake. Because I really am not a baker, I have limited my ‘roster’ to 10 ‘go to’ recipes… BOTH of these have made the list! I am looking forward to making the red velvet cupcakes as a layer cake for my sister in laws birthday at the end of the month. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I just made these cupcakes for my husband (his favorite dessert is limoncello cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory and they were a huge hit! Though they didn’t look as cute as yours, they were still delicious!
For all of those non-drinkers out there, my husband and I don’t drink, so we only added the limoncello to the cupcakes (since it will be mostly cooked out). For the frosting, I used lemon juice instead of limoncello. The frosting was my favorite part!
I HAD A PARTY WITH MY LADY FRIENDS AND SERVED THIS DELICIOUS CUPCAKE. IT WAS A HIT! VERY MOIST AND IT HAD 3 DIFFERENT TEXTURES AND FLAVORS. THE TART LEMON CURD BALANCED THE CREAMY SWEETNESS OF THE FROSTING. THE CAKE WAS VERY DELICATE AND THE LIMONCELLO ADDED TO IT JUST MELLOWED IT OUT EVEN MORE.
THANKS AGAIN.
I love this recipe. I love this frosting. And I don’t even really love Lemon. These were a huge hit in my house! I’ll quote my boyfriend, “These lemon cupcakes really excite my mouth”. LOL! He was right! These were moist, delicious and the lemon curd gives the subtle lemon flavor in both the cupcake and the frosting a real ZING! I will definitely remake these time and time again. They were also SO fun to decorate! I totally copied you and added a little slice of lemon and a raspberry…that bite with the raspberry, a little lemon curd and frosting…AMAZING!
Him Michelle… is there a substitute for limoncello.. have got a few non alcoholic to serve the cake too… cant wait to try them over the weekend.. Have a great day!!
Hi Veena, Eek that’s a tough one. There really isn’t a substitute that would impart the same flavor (lemon extract would be too strong). I would just sub in vanilla extract in both the cupcake and frosting.
Does Torani make a lemon flavored syrup? Might be a decent substitute.
Good point Sue. Yes, Torani does make a lemon-flavored syrup!
I loved the recipe, the tart lemon curd really did go nicely with the cream cheese frosting! I’m totally making this again.
However, I made this as a cake (two 10 in. rounds) and it was very dense. It didn’t stop anyone from eating it :) but I’m wondering if this happens often with cupcake recipes (made into cake). Are cupcake recipes meant to be baked as cupcakes for a reason??? Thanks for any explanation
Hi Sasha, A lot of cupcake and cake recipes are interchangeable, but perhaps it was overmixed or overbaked? Both could have resulted in a dense cake.
I baked this as a cake and omitted the cream cheese to give it more of a “cake” than a “cupcake” feel. It was a bit dense, but as you said, still delicious! I think it may just be the nature of the recipe. Since this was my first time trying this recipe, I don’t have a cake with the cream cheese to compare it to, so if you try again, maybe you can see if it’s any different!
Thank you again. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep trying, that’s the beauty of these delightful cupcakes, even the ‘mistakes’ are delicious!
I’ve made these twice, and they are AMAZING! I actually think I may have developed an addiction to these. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I had trouble getting the frosting stiff enough for piping, is there a secret? I think I’m doing something wrong. I gave up with the pastry bag and just plopped a spoonful on each cupcake. It worked, but I really wanted to make them fancy.
Thank you again for the lemony goodness.
Hi Sue, Hmm not sure what would keep the frosting from being stiff enough to pipe. Are you using powdered sugar (not granulated)?
Yep, powdered sugar. I have made the cupcakes twice…I dunno either. But I love these enough, I will definitely keep trying,I don’t mind if the frosting is just plopped on top! I appreciate the response, thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m sorry I don’t seem to be much help. Is the butter or cream cheese maybe TOO soft? Or try less limoncello? Hmmm, I hope some trial and error will work! :)
I made these the other day and they were amazing, tasted Just like lemon mirangue pie! When I baked the cupcakes they turned barely yellow but were cracked on the top just slightly. They didn’t have much colour but were cooked through and very moist so don’t be afraid if they don’t brown like other cupcakes. Will be making them for a birthday this weekend :)
Yay for cupcakes! So glad you enjoyed these Lisa, and that you’ll be making them again!
Best. Cupcakes. Ever!
I made 4.5 dozen. (It was go big or go home.) These are insanely good and even better when served cold from the fridge.
Woo! Love the ‘go big or go home’ mentality!
How long will these cupcakes last and what is the best way to store them?
Hi Cher – I’d say these would last a couple of days or so. I would store them in the refrigerator if you aren’t serving them within a few hours, just let them come up to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
Okay Brown Eyed Baker, a nice addition to my limoncello-lavender shortbreads. WOOHOO Yipee Can’t wait to make them cuz I love lemon curd too (and all things lemon)
AmyRuth
I am all over these things! Gorgeous, obviously delicious, and fun!
This recipe looks so good. I am going to try it. I have limoncello , and I think i will put a blueberry jam in the middle . Thnaks for agreat recipe.
A nod to you for these recipes. They inspired me to create a similar cupcake and win 5th place in a friendly cupcake competition. 24 bakers, 100 judges.
Delicious! Thank you!
Going to try these w/ my homemade limoncello. They sound divine. I think I’ll try candied lemon peel twists or knots as garnish.
Made these cupcakes last night. I’ve become quite a lemon fanatic and I never used to like lemon. I had to use citrus vodka because there was no limoncello in my town but they were wonderful. Thanks for the recipes! I also made your taco dip during the 4th and it was a hit too! Keep up the good work, I check daily!!
I made these this weekend: http://yfrog.com/1xbrzzj Everyone said these are their favorites. Due to time constraints I wasn’t able to add the curd but they were a hit.
I’m thinking about making these but using Limoncello Cream liquor. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to buy it but don’t know what the flavor difference is. Can’t wait!
I just made these – I added oh…probably triple the limoncello, ‘cuz that’s how I roll, and just evened out the consistency with more sugar. I also added a bit more lemon zest to the frosting to add even more fresh lemon flavor. I used the 1M tip and topped them just like you did. Beautiful and totally delicious!
I made these for my birthday and took them into the office. Never in my life have I heard so much ooing and aahing, they went down a storm.
Am making them again this weekend! Thanks for a fab recipe!
made these today with some alterations and they were quite good:
didnt have limoncello so i substituted more zest and a bit of lemon curd for both frosting and cupcakes. didnt use lemon curd as filling, instead glazed with raspberry jam before putting on frosting — as it was it was a little overwhelmingly lemony. next time i will just make these delicious cup cakes and then use even more raspberry jam and vanilla frosting..
overall, a wonderful idea
I love lemon cake and these look amazing! Can’t wait to try out your recipe.
Gorgeous!! These look so fancy! I’m not a huge fan of limoncello so I’ll substitute for that, but I am definitely trying these.
These are beautiful! They look tasty, too.
These look great to eat and display. Cupcake art should be a fine art.
Hi Kathy – I would recommend using a lemon-flavored syrup to replace the limoncello in the recipe. Torani is a brand found in most grocery stores and they make a lemon syrup:
http://torani.com/flavor/lemon_syrup
These look amazing!! I received a bottle of Limoncello as a gift… what a great way to use a little up!
These look fabulous– I can’t wait to try this out. But, I really, really have to forego using alcoholic beverages in my cooking/baking. Would you have any tips for replacing the limoncello?
I am wiping the drool off my chin! I am tweeting this!!
interesting use of limoncello…they look lovely!
Oh my heavens ! These look good and right up my alley. I love, love, love lemon. I must try these !!
Wow these are gorgeous and sound amazing! Love that there’s a filling and love the sound of the limoncello cream cheese frosting!
Hi Jenn – I used a regular lemon slice, but candied lemon sounds great as well! As far as it affecting the frosting – I would recommend topping them with any garnishments soon before serving. I did mine about an hour before serving and they were just fine.
Absolutely gorgeous! One question – would you use a regular lemon slice on top or a candied lemon slice? Just wondering if the acidity of raw lemon would affect the frosting at all over the course of a day or two…
I got attracted to the photos but after looking at the recipe, I have to say it takes precedence and gets the thumbs up. Delicious cupcakes.
This looks incredible. You always have the best recipes.
Congrats on being top 9. I have never seen a 99 buzz. Congrats on that too!!
Beautiful and delicious!!
These are beautiful! I’ve been looking for a lemon cupcake recipe and for sure I’ll be trying this one soon. The raspberry on top is the perfect touch!
Wow! Definitey drool-worthy. Beautiful photos and garnish. Thanks for the tip on putting the cupcake into a party nut cup. I love the look, but am too afraid to bake in them after an overflow incident (and now because they changed the cups, adding a shiny plasticy coating in them.). Thanks for the ideas!
Thanks so much Tartelette!!
So happy to see your adaptation turned out so well. I just love the combo curd-cake-limoncello :) Beauties!
Ooooh. These look scrumpcious. Wish I had a bite right now. Love lemon. Definitely going to try this recipe.
YUMMMMM!! Nothing much more to say, there but yum.
Gorgeous. Beautiful. Fabulous.
And the raspberry garnish is the perfect pop of color.
I can’t wait to try them out.
Donna
They are simply gorgeous. I adore lemon.
Yum, these look absolutely amazing!!
These look and sound delicious! I love all the different lemon flavors you got in one cupcake!
Fabulous cupcakes! Gorgeous photos as well!
I love the picture! These cupcakes are beautiful! And the flavors sound amazing.
I love your presentation- they look so wonderful! I’m bookmarking this to try next time I want lemon cupcakes.
Wow, so lovely!
mmmm! So Pretty!
Those look fantastic.
I wish I can have a bite.
Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, oh wow!!! Stunning photos and the cupcakes sound beyond amazing! Thank you for linking these to Flavor-of-the-Month! They are gorgeous!
I tasted these on our visit to the Baker’s house, and she totally outdid herself. These were AMAZING to say the least!!
You have done it once again, these look absolutely amazing!
Those are SOO pretty!! And look so delicious!! :)
My family loves anything lemon. In fact, yesterday my 12 year old daughter and 10 year old son came to separately and requested a batch of lemon scones. I’m off to the kitchen to make them now, but next weekend I’ll wow them with your cupcakes!
Those look fantastic!
Yum yum! I love lemony desserts! The lemon curd and limoncello combination sounds threatening to my diet!! How I would love to have one of these right now!!!
These look divine! I like that they are a clean flavored dessert. I will definelty try these.
Wow!! They look too good to eat!
Fabulous. Now that’s a cupcake!!!!
Those cupcakes look fabulous! Oh darn, an excuse to buy a bottle of limoncello!
Lemon…an absolute fav of mine. Great photos. A recipe keeper without a doubt.
AWESOME!!! And gorgeous pictures too!!
This is a beautiful cupcakes that I definitely like to try it out one day :)
Ack! I wish you posted these yesterday! Just made some lemon cupcakes yesterday and frankly, they turned out a little dull. Next time I’ll be trying this one out!
Your presentation is amazing!
Katie xox