Recipe: Lemon Cream Cupcakes (with cream cheese filling)

LEMON CREAM CUPCAKES

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake cups.

Combine the butter and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with the mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the eggs and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and beat until well combined, scraping down the bowl once or twice as necessary. Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest until just combined.

In a small bowl, mash together the cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest until combined.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the batter into each muffin cup. Place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on top of each portion of batter and cover the cheese with some of the remaining batter (the batter should reach 3/4 of the way to the top of each cup).

Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning over onto the wire rack to cool completely. Use a strainer to dust with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.

Makes 12 cupcakes
Source: Instant Gratification by Lauren Chattman