Name: Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 48 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 100 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter - softened; -20 g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar; Zest of 1/2 lemon; 2 eggs - room temperature; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 120 ml (1/2 cup) semi-skimmed milk; 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice - 1/2 lemon; 160 g (1 1/4 cups) cake flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds; 200 g (7 oz) cold Philadelphia cream cheese; 200 g (7 oz) cold heavy cream; 80 - 100 g (1/3 - 1/2 cup) lemon curd; 50 g (1/2 cup) sifted powdered sugar; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review

Indulge in these lemon poppy seed cupcakes, featuring a moist lemony base filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with a light lemon cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced with a sweet and zesty flavor, these cupcakes are a refreshing treat for any occasion!

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Ingredient you need
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Tips for this recipe
Variations & Substitutions
More Cupcake Recipes
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Treat yourself to these lemon poppy seed cupcakes, which are just as heavenly as my lemon mascarpone cupcakes or these lemon meringue cupcakes and are sure to delight any lemon lovers! 🍋

Featuring a moist and flavorful lemon cupcake base generously speckled with poppy seeds, a decadent lemon curd filling center that adds a burst of citrusy goodness, and a velvety-smooth frosting infused with the refreshing zest of lemon.

What's more, this delightful frosting is made using my signature butter-free cream cheese frosting recipe, ensuring a light and creamy texture that perfectly complements the zesty flavors of the cupcakes.

Lemon poppy seed cupcakes are a delightful harmony of flavors, combining the sweetness of the cake with a fresh citrus flavor. With every bite, they create a delicious sensation that tantalizes the taste buds.

Craving for more lemon poppy seed recipes? Give these a try : Lemon poppy seed pound cake, lemon poppy seed muffins.

Ingredient you need

You need these ingredients to make this lemon and poppy seed cupcakes:

Lemon Cupcakes: My favorite vanilla cupcake recipe is made with cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seed, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, room-temperature eggs, fresh lemon juice with fresh lemon zest, milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
Lemon Curd Filling: Made from whole eggs, fresh lemon juice and zest (or bottled lemon juice), granulated sugar, unsalted butter or a store-bought lemon curd or any citrus marmalade.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Made with Philadelphia cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and flavored with lemon curd.

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember, the full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the main recipe card below!

Step 1: Cream the butter with the granulated sugar and lemon zest using an electric mixer, then add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again to incorporate.

Step 2: Gradually add the sifted flour mixture —flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds—alternating with the mixture of milk and lemon juice.

Step 3: Pour the cupcake batter into a muffin tin lined with baking cups, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake the lemon cupcakes in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 18 minutes.

Step 4: Cook the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a saucepan or double boiler until thickened.

Step 5: Remove from heat, add the cold butter pieces, and incorporate them. Let the lemon curd cool before using it to fill the inside of the cupcakes.

Step 6: In a bowl, place the cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon curd, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Step 7: Put the lemon cream cheese frosting in a piping bag and decorate the tops of the lemon cupcakes. Add a bit of lemon curd to the center of the frosting and sprinkle with poppy seeds for decoration.

mixing bowl with lemon cream cheese mixture

Tips for this recipe

Choosing the Right Lemons: Use organic lemons to avoid pesticides, especially if using the zest. Fresh lemons will give a more intense flavor.
Don't Overmix: When incorporating dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix just enough to combine. Overmixing can make the cupcakes tough.
Even Baking: Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full to allow for good rise. Bake at a moderate temperature (about 350°F/180°C) and check doneness with a toothpick.
Prepare Lemon Curd in Advance: Make your lemon curd ahead of time so it’s well-chilled and thick before using it as the filling for your cupcakes.
Serve Fresh: For the best taste experience, serve the cupcakes fresh. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Variations & Substitutions

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes: Add fresh or frozen raspberries to the batter and a raspberry compote filling.
Lemon Chia Cupcakes: Replace the poppy seeds with chia seeds.
Lime Poppy Seed Cupcakes: Use lime instead of lemon.
Lemon Coconut Cupcakes: Add shredded coconut to the batter and/or sprinkle the frosting with coconut for a tropical flavor.
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes: Add fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter like these blueberry cupcakes with lemon blueberry compote and blueberry mascarpone frosting.
Lemon buttercream option: If you prefer to use a buttercream frosting, follow my whipped buttercream recipe or a Swiss buttercream flavored with lemon extract or lemon curd.
Lemon mascarpone frosting: replace cream cheese with mascarpone cheese like this lemon mascarpone frosting.

More Cupcake Recipes

I hope you love these lemon poppy seed cupcakes. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

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5 from 1 review

Author: Fadela
Total Time: 48 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes

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Description

Delicious lemon poppy seed cupcakes with a lemon curd center and lemon cream cheese frosting (makes 12 cupcakes).

Instructions

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a standard cupcake or muffin tin with paper liners.
In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
In another large bowl, place the softened or melted and cooled butter with the granulated sugar and lemon zest.
Beat with an electric whisk for about 2-3 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.
Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat again for 3 minutes until you have a smooth mixture.
Alternately and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients mixture and the milk mixed with lemon juice until you get a homogeneous batter.
Pour the cupcake batter into the prepared tin, filling the liners about ¾ full.
Bake in the oven for about 18-20 minutes until they are golden on top and well cooked in the center.
Let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing them from the tin and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Lemon Curd

Prepare my homemade lemon curd recipe and let it cool completely in the fridge.
Remove the center of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer or an apple corer and fill it with the cooled lemon curd.
Let the cupcakes chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl, place all the cold ingredients: cold Philadelphia cream cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cold lemon curd.
Whisk with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes until you get a smooth and firm frosting.
Fill a piping bag with the lemon frosting and decorate the tops of the cupcakes with a swirl, leaving a hole in the center to fill with lemon curd.
Sprinkle with poppy seeds and enjoy.