Lemon Sunshine Cupcakes

Like always I LOVE to bake! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors of all time! I made these cupcakes and boy are they YUMMY!

Lemon Sunshine Cupcakes

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs, room temperature

seeds from 2 vanilla beans

1/2 tsp almond extract

3 cups cake flour - I used all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

-Preheat the oven at 325*

-In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

-In a mixer bowl beat sugar and butter until creamy (4-5 minutes)

-Add eggs one at a time

-Add vanilla beans and almond extract

-Add 1/3 of flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat at medium-low speed until just combined.

-Add half of the buttermilk. Beat.

-Repeat last 2 steps until it is all mixed together. 

-Put into cupcake liners and bake for 18-22 minutes.

There's a filling! 

Whipped Cream Lemon Curd

2 Tbs lemon curd - I used about 4 Tbs because I like the flavor more bold

1 cup heavy whipping cream

-In a cold bowl whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks appear. 

-Place the lemon curd in a separate bowl and stir to break it up a little.

-Add 1/3 of heavy whipping cream to the lemon curd and stir to combine. 

-Fold remaining whipping cream into lemon curd until well combined. 

-Pipe into cupcakes

ICING!

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 egg whites

2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cool diced in 2 tbs cubes

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon extract 

zest of 2 lemons

2 tsp vanilla extract

-Mix egg whites, butter and powder sugar until well blended

-Add vanilla, lemon, and zest until combined.

-Pipe icing onto cupcake

Most importantly eat, eat, eat!