Triple Lemon Cupcakes

Disclaimer: I'm not sure where I retrieved this recipe from. I saw something similar on Food Network and then a few more by browsing blogs. This was from a word document so I'm not sure if I yanked it from someone's blog or pulled a few pieces from various sources which I am known to do. Please let me know if this is your exact recipe and I will be happy to give credit. Thanks.

On to the cupcakes: These were to die for adorable. Seriously. A refreshing sweet tart taste perfect for spring time. I will DEFINATELY be making them again! It seems like there are a lot of stages and steps but they really do not take long and can be broken up over time (like oh you know, a trip to TJMAXX while the cupcakes cool).

I used a basic Sugar Cookie Recipe and Lemon Icing Recipe from the Joy of Baking for the cookie toppers. I also used about 5 large lemons for this whole process.

Triple Lemon Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups Self-Rising flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 plus 2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice.
1/2 cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:
Using a KAMixer bowl, gently mix lemon zest and sugar until fragrant with a fork or fingers. Ad the butter and cream cheese and cream with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating till blended. Alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Add lemon juice and beat on low until smooth.

Fill each lined muffin cup about 2/3 of the way full (or two scoops with a cookie scoop). Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until done.

Lemon Curd:
4 egg yolks
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/4 plus 1 Tbs Lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbs unsalted butter, cold, diced

Directions:
Whisk everything except the butter in a sause pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats the spoon (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, Add butter a few pieces at a time, stirring constantly. Some people strain their's, I did not since it was VERY smooth and I wanted the pop of the zest to stay in there. I poured into a greased corningware dish and covered with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic into the top of the curd.

Icing:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 tbs lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:
In KAMixer cream butter, cream cheese and lemon juice. Once smooth, add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Add lemon zest and beat until smooth.

ASSEMBLY:
Using a paring knife, cut a cone shape out of each cupcake. Using a ziplock bag with the corner tip cut off (or a piping bag), fill each hole with lemon curd. Pipe a swirl of icing on top of each cupcake.

Top each cupcake with a sugar cookie chickadee for a spring party OR a ribbon of lemon rind.

*pictures posted this weekend! Come back to see them. They are adorable.