Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake Cupcakes
These delicious pound cake cupcakes are stuffed with a lemon custard and topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting. After all, no summer is complete without strawberries and lemons, and this recipe combines the two perfectly! In many cases, it can even be made with ingredients you have on hand, which makes it the ideal summer treat to throw together before any last-minute get-togethers, parties, BBQ’s, and more!
Pound Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 C. Sugar
3 ¼ C. All-Purpose Flour
2 ¾ tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
¾ C. Butter, softened
1 ¼ C. Milk
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 large eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add in the butter and mix until the butter is well combined; the consistency should be like sand.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the milk and vanilla extract together, then add to your flour mixture and mix until well combined. Add your eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well after each addition.
4. Scoop ¼ C. of the mixture into each muffin tin cup and bake 23 to 25 minutes. The edges will be lightly brown.
Lemony Custard Filling
Ingredients:
4 Egg Yolks 1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Cornstarch
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 C. Cream
1/2 Tbsp. Lemon Zest, very finely grated
4 Tbsp. Butter, softened
2 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice (from zested lemon)
1tsp. Vanilla Extract
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until combined, and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, cook cream and lemon zest over medium heat until frothy bubbles form on the surface and the edges simmer slightly, stirring occasionally. Do not overheat.
3. Pour the cream mixture into the egg mixture a little at a time, whisking constantly. Do not add too much at a time or you’ll scramble the egg yolks. Once completely combined, add the mixture back into the saucepan.
4. Over medium heat, whisk the mixture constantly until it gets bubbly and thickens. It will happen quickly – once it does, immediately remove it from the heat and continue whisking for another minute or two, or until the custard is smooth.
5. Place the butter, vanilla, and lemon juice in a medium bowl and pour the custard over the top, using a silicone scraper. Whisk all the ingredients together until completely combined.
6. Put a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of cream and refrigerate until the custard sets, at least 2 hours.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 C. Butter, softened 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
2 C. Confectioners Sugar
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 C. Fresh Strawberries, finely diced
Directions:
1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Mix the vanilla extract in, and continue beating the confectioners sugar in a little at a time until completely combined. Add less or more confectioners sugar according to taste.
2. Add the strawberries in and mix until the frosting turns lightly pink. You don’t want to overmix or the strawberry juice will make your frosting too runny. Place into a frosting bag and into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour, or until firm enough to shape on your cupcake.
Assembly:
1. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled. Put your Lemony Custard Filling into a frosting bag with a round tip on it, shove the tip into the center of a cupcake, and slowly squeeze the bag while lifting the tip back out. (Colleen shows us this technique in this video).
2. Using a separate frosting bag with a large tip, frost your cupcakes with the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with a strawberry slice, sprinkles, or let the frosting be the focal point. Share, and enjoy!
