Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Raspberry-Lemon Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs , room temperature
• 2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
• zest from 2 lemons
• 6 oz. fresh raspberries

Raspberry Filling

• 2-12 oz. packages frozen raspberries, not packed in syrup
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• juice from 1 lemon
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

Lemon Curd

• 8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup lemon zest, finely grated
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Lemon-White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 oz. white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• zest from 2 lemons
• juice from 2 lemons
• powdered sugar, enough for correct consistency, about 4-5 cups

directions

• 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 liners, set aside.

• 2

  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

• 3

  In a bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, sugar and zest until light and fluffy.

• 4

  Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the milk.

• 5

  Add the flour and milk in thirds to the creamed butter mixture ending with the milk.

• 6

  Fold in the fresh berries.

• 7

  Scoop evenly into the lined tins. Bake for about 18-24 minutes or until toothpick comes clean when inserted into the cupcake.

• 8

  Remove from the oven and pans and allow cupcakes to cool completely.

• 9

  Begin preparing the raspberry filling.

• 10

  In a saucepan combine the raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice.

• 11

  Bring to boil and simmer until berries have broken down, about 15-20 minutes.

• 12

  Remove from heat and pour mixture into a fine mesh sieve. Pres the mixture through the sieve until just seeds are left.

• 13

  Return strained mixture to saucepan and whisk in the water/cornstarch mixture.

• 14

  Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

• 15

  Remove from heat and stir in almond extract; allow to cool completely.

• 16

  It will become very thick as it cools.

• 17

  Using a apple corer, core out the center of each cupcake.

• 18

  Pipe in cooled raspberry filling; set aside.

• 19

  In a saucepan begin to prepare lemon curd. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, lemon juice and zest to the pan and whisk until well combined. Add butter and and place over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and reach 175 degrees. Do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, pipe a small layer of curd on top of cooled filled cupcakes; set aside.

• 20

  In a bowl of a stand mixer add all the frosting ingredients and beat until fluffy.

• 21

  Place frosting in piping bag fitted with plain tip and swirl frosting on each cupcake. Using a small spoon make a divot on top of each frosted cupcake and place a small amount of lemon curd in the divot. Top each lemon curd divot with a fresh raspberry.