Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

Hey guys! A brand new week calls for a brand new cupcake recipe, obviously! A couple weeks ago I let you know that I only had a small collection of cupcake recipes here on my blog and that’s just not good enough. Considering cupcakes are possibly the best thing ever right? I have an endless supply of cupcake flavours that I have developed over time and that you’re yet to discover, oh I just cannot wait to create them. These are my new Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes. A delightful gluten free vanilla butter cake, homemade lemon curd with a velvety smooth lemon and poppyseed buttercream frosting, yes it’s soo real!

I cannot tell you how long I have been on the hunt for a great tasting, gluten free, plain vanilla cake recipe. I have tried so many and they just didn’t reach my expectations of a great vanilla gluten free cupcake, like how hard is it?! I will share this with you though, baking gluten free can be such a challenge most times that I reflect on how easy it was baking with wheat flours… but! I do appreciate the challenge it throws at me and these cupcakes were one of those challenges that kept presenting itself for a long time.

I can proudly say that I think I have FINALLY found my go-to plain, vanilla, butter based gluten free cupcake recipe. It took me 3 batches of cupcakes to get this wonderful recipe. I was actually following the recipe for my Mini Cinnamon and Honey Cupcakes but I omitted a few of the ingredients to make it a vanilla cupcake. It was a fluke actually, on my second batch of cupcakes I accidentally added double the amount of butter without realising until after they baked. Turns out that was the best mistake I could have made! They were perfect. The only issue I still had was there wasn’t enough batter to make the classic 12-batch of cupcakes. Is it just me or do you hate that too? When you follow a recipe and there ends up not being enough batter to fill your wonderfully large 12-hole cupcake pan? To avoid this, I ended up doubling the recipe from the good batch of cupcakes. This recipe will give you around 12-15 cupcakes, winning! The more the merrier is what they say don’t they?

Ok Ok, let’s get down to business. Sweet, buttery vanilla cupcakes incasing a delicious and delightful homemade lemon curd. Topped with a classic buttercream frosting with a hint of lemon then a small amount of poppyseed’s whipped through, don’t you just love the effect the poppyseed’s give the frosting? Yum yum in your tum tum! So if you also have been on the look out for the best plain vanilla gluten free cupcake recipe then look no further! I’m so incredibly happy with the way these turned out. Full of flavour, great fluffy texture and they all rose to the occasion! Oh and to top it all off, just casually place a large dollop of thick lemon curd in them with generous swirl of lemon and poppyseed frosting!

Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

35 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

The best and most delightful gluten free vanilla cupcakes, filled with a homemade lemon curd then topped with a simple lemon and poppyseed buttercream frosting!

Author: Wholesome Patisserie

Recipe type: Gluten Free

Serves: 12-15 cupcakes

Ingredients

• Vanilla Butter Cupcakes
• 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour*
• 1 cup almond meal
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp himalayan pink salt
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (150g) butter, melted
• ½ cup honey
• 1 Tbsp vanilla bean extract
• Lemon Curd
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 100g butter, cubed
• Zest of one medium-large lemon
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup demerara sugar*
• Lemon Poppyseed Frosting
• 60g butter, room temperature, chopped into chunks
• 4½ cups gluten free icing sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp black poppyseed’s
• Optional: small slices of lemon to serve

Method

1. Vanilla Butter Cupcakes
2. Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF) and line a 12 hole cupcake pan with cupcake patty liners.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt together.
4. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine eggs, butter, honey and vanilla, mix well.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry mix, pour in wet mixture. Using a whisk, mix until just combined. Removing any lumps.
6. Spoon batter into cupcake pan, fill them ¾ of the way up.
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Lemon Curd
9. In a double boiler over low-medium heat, add all curd ingredients.
10. Cook ingredients together until mixture begins to thicken.
11. Occasionally stir curd with a whisk until all the butter has completely melted and ingredients are well combined. You don’t want the curd to start boiling so keep the heat on medium.
12. You will want to start constantly whisking the curd when it begins to thicken, this will take approx. 20-30 minutes.
13. The curd should be light in colour and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
14. When ready, strain curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
15. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator. This will allow the curd to thicken further.
16. Lemon Poppyseed Frosting
17. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter. Whisk for 30 seconds or until just soft.
18. Gradually add icing sugar, 1 cup at a time.
19. Between additions of icing sugar, add lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time.
20. Add poppyseed’s and beat frosting for a further 30 seconds until light and fluffy.
21. Assembly
22. When cupcakes have completely cooled, take a small sharp knife and cut a V-shaped piece out of the top of each cupcake, about 1" deep x 1" wide.
23. Spoon chilled lemon curd into holes, until filled in.
24. Prepare a piping bag with a large closed star nozzle.
25. Fill piping bag with frosting and pipe rounds on each cupcake.
26. Optional: top each cupcake with a small lemon slice.
27. Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

Store cupcakes in an airtight container, in the pantry or refrigerator, for 4-5 days.
*Use my all purpose gluten free flour to get the best result.
*Find demerara sugar from your local health food store. Alternatively, use raw caster sugar or coconut sugar.
Ensure not to let the lemon curd come to a boil, this will cause the egg to cook further.
Constantly whisk the curd whilst it’s cooking, this will ensure even cooking and any lumps will be removed from the mixture.
The curd will have to cook over the double boiler for approx. 20-30 minutes. Depending on how long the curd will take to lighten in colour and thicken.
This curd recipe will make extra, store the leftovers in an airtight container or a glass jar, refrigerated, for a couple of weeks.

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