Limoncello Lemon Cupcakes

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Limoncello lemon cupcakes, shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Bright lemon curd, lemon cupcakes, and limoncello buttercream are a sunny burst of citrus. These cupcakes are a lemon lover’s dream!

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Limoncello Lemon Cupcakes

At the risk of sounding like a lush, I love the little bottle of alcohol you can buy at the liquor store. I don’t drink much at all, but I do love trying new flavors or baking with something new. Well, a while ago, I nabbed a tiny bottle of limoncello and figured it was time to bake with it at last.

These limoncello lemon cupcakes feature a soft lemon cupcake, bright lemon curd, and a creamy limoncello Swiss meringue buttercream. You could absolutely omit the limoncello and end up with booze free lemon cupcakes. 

Lemon Curd Hero

This tangy lemon curd is the real hero of the limoncello lemon cupcakes. It packs a huge punch of citrus zing. I mixed in just a tablespoon of limoncello once it was done, but it has plenty of flavor on its own, so you can nix the booze if you’d like.

You want to cook the lemon curd low and slow to prevent the eggs from scrambling. I do suggest passing the curd through a strainer at the end regardless, but you don’t want to invite disaster by having the heat up too high. It took me about 20 minutes to cook my lemon curd.

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Limoncello Swiss Meringue Buttercream

I specifically designed this recipe so that you wouldn’t have any leftover egg whites or egg yolks at the end. You’re welcome. Anywho, Swiss meringue buttercream is super creamy, buttery, and not too sweet. If you’re not used to it, it can be odd at first. However, the lemon flavor and zingy curd give it a ton of life.

Every time I make Swiss meringue buttercream, I say I’ll never make it again. It tastes super yummy, but it seems to take me forever to get the egg whites warm enough, then to whip them until they are cool. If you’re not interested in that level of extra, you could always make a mock SMBC, like the one I made for my lemon and lavender cupcakes.

Top Tips for Meringue

• Wipe your bowl and whisk with a bit of vinegar to remove any residual fat or grease.
• Separate your egg whites one at a time into a small bowl before adding them to your big bowl. This is to prevent any stray yolk from ruining the whole batch!
• Room temperature egg whites will whip up faster, but it’s best to separate the eggs while they’re cold.

Related Reading: All About Meringue: Covering the Basics

Moist Lemon Cupcakes

These lemon cupcakes are a dream! Soft, moist, with a smooth, subtle lemon flavor. I did not add any limoncello to the cupcake batter. Instead, I used a combination of lemon zest and lemon extract.

My secret ingredients for moist, soft cupcakes are dried buttermilk (no spoilage or waste!), a combo of butter and oil, and cake enhancer. Each of these ingredients helps create cakes and cupcakes that have a beautiful crumb, and perfectly soft texture.

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Top Tips for Cupcakes

• Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.  This will help everything blend nicely and give your cupcakes a nice texture.
• Scrape down your bowl often.  Butter and sugar can hide out at the bottom of your bowl.  Make sure everything gets blended!
• Do NOT over mix.  Once you add the wet and dry ingredients, keep the speed on stir and only mix to combine.  
• Place some dried rice (½ – 1 teaspoon) in the bottom of each cupcake cavity before adding your paper cases.
• Use a large cookie scoop to perfectly portion your cupcake batter.

I Love When a Cupcake Comes Together

Now that your curd is set, the buttercream is ready to go, and your cupcakes have cooled, you can put it all together. Use an apple corer to remove a small portion of the cupcake. Don’t go too far down or the curd will leak out the bottom. Fill that little cavity with the lemon curd.

I used a 1M piping tip to pipe a nest on top of each cupcake. Basically, pipe a rosette, then continue up to pipe a lip, creating a nest or bowl shape with frosting. Fill that in with even more lemon curd. The curd will settle into the grooves a bit, so you may need to top it off with more curd, but that’s up to you.

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Step by Step

Limoncello lemon cupcakes are not necessarily difficult to make, but there are three different elements that you’ll need to whip up. To help you out, check out the step by step video tutorial on the Bakes & Blunders YouTube channel.

I made the lemon curd and Swiss meringue buttercream on the same day. The next day, I made the lemon cupcakes. You could fill and frost them that same day, but I put it all together on day three.

Enjoy!

Limoncello lemon cupcakes are the perfect treat for any citrus lover. The moist lemon cupcakes are filled with a zingy lemon curd, then topped with a creamy limoncello Swiss meringue buttercream. Add a bit more lemon curd on top, and you’ve got yourself an explosion of lemon goodness.

Don’t have time to make a batch of cupcakes right now? Make sure to pin this recipe for later! You definitely don’t want to miss out.

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Limoncello Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon cupcakes filled with lemon curd and frosted with limoncello Swiss meringue buttercream.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Birthday, Boozy, Cupcakes, Curd, Frosting, Lemon

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Assembly Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 7 minutes minutes

Servings 17 cupcakes

Calories 400kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

• 4 oz sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 fl oz lemon juice about 3 lemons
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 3 oz unsalted butter cubed
• 1 Tbsp limoncello optional

Limoncello Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 4 egg whites room temperature
• 8 oz sugar
• 12 oz unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• Pinch of salt optional
• 1 Tbsp limoncello optional
• 3 drops neon yellow gel food color

Lemon Cupcakes

• 4 oz all- purpose flour
• 1.5 oz cake flour
• 2 Tbsps dried buttermilk
• 1 1/4 tsps baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 oz unsalted butter softened
• 7 oz white sugar
• 1 Tbsp cake enhancer optional
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 4 fl oz water
• 2 Tbsps canola oil

Instructions

Lemon Curd

• Combine the sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook over low - medium low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the mixture hits 160°F. Depending on the heat level, this could take about 20 minutes.
• Strain the curd into a clean bowl and stir in butter until smooth. Stir in limoncello until combined.
• Press cling wrap to the surface of the lemon curd and cool on the counter until it is room temperature. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge until set, at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

Limoncello Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• Add an inch or two of water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, whisk the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl until combined.
• Place the bowl over the water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the mixture regularly until you reach 160°F.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on a medium- high speed until the meringue has come to room temperature and is forming glossy peaks. This will take 15- 30 minutes.
• Once the meringue is at room temperature, begin adding the butter a tablespoon at a time, allowing each dollop to incorporate before adding the next.
• Once the butter is fully incorporated, add the lemon extract and pinch of salt. Whip to combine, then add limoncello and gel coloring. Whip on a medium high speed for 4- 5 minutes, then taste. Adjust flavors as needed. If it tastes too buttery, whip for another few minutes.

Lemon Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper cases and set aside.
• Sift the flours, dried buttermilk, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
• Add the butter, sugar, and cake enhancer (if using) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream on a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the bowl down once or twice during the process.
• Add the lemon zest and lemon extract to the bowl and beat on medium until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl down.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, add an egg and mix for about 15 seconds before bumping the speed up to the next lowest setting. Mix until combined, about 15 seconds more. Repeat the process with the remaining egg, scraping the bowl down occasionally.
• As the eggs finish incorporating, combine the water and oil, then set aside.
• Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients. Begin with a third of the dry and mix on the lowest speed until just combined. Drizzle in half of the liquids and beat on low until nearly combined. Scrape the bowl down and repeat this process with another addition of dry, then wet ingredients. Scrape the bowl down and finish with the final bit of dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
• Use a cupcake scoop to divide the batter among the cupcake pans. Bake for 20- 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when tapped on top and a skewer comes out clean.
• Cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a cooling rack.

Assembly

• Use an apple corer to remove a small portion from the cooled cupcakes. Do not go too far down or the curd will leak out the bottom.
• Fill centers with lemon curd. Pipe a nest of buttercream on top of each cupcake. Fill the center of the frosting with more lemon curd.