These lemon angel food cupcakes are light as air, stuffed with tangy lemon curd and topped with a lemon whipped cream frosting. They are bursting with lemon flavor in every bite!

Make every part from scratch, or cut a few corners with a store bought angel food cake mix and a jar of lemon curd. Either way, they come out amazing.

Easy Lemon Cupcakes Recipe from Scratch - No Diets Allowed

The Best Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes (Filled with Lemon Curd)

This lemon cupcake recipe is what spring dreams are made of! To me, spring is just light and airy and full of possibilities. That’s just how these easy lemon cupcakes are, like a ray of sunshine, bursting with lemon flavor in every bite. I really hope you enjoy today’s lemon cupcake recipe!

I made these lemon cupcakes from scratch, but in all honesty you can cut a few corners and they will still come out amazingly! Instead of a homemade angel food cake, just get a store bought one, no biggie. Boxed angel food cakes, I think, come out almost exactly like a from scratch version. They are super good! Then just purchase a little jar of lemon curd. You can find it by the jams and jellies.

The only thing you really should make homemade is the lemon stabilized whipped cream… yum! Stabilized whipped cream is a recipe I get asked about a lot. It is super simple to make, and it will stay in your fridge for days without losing any of that airiness.

If you are going to make this recipe from scratch, you will not be disappointed! It’s super simple, and I suggest starting off by making the lemon curd first. Once you get this recipe for lemon curd down, you can experiment with other flavors like Raspberry Lemonade Curd and Vanilla Bean Orange Curd!

Why You’ll Love These Lemon Cupcakes

Light as air. Angel food cupcakes are made with whipped egg whites, so they are soft and fluffy.
Lemon in every layer. Tangy curd inside and lemon whipped cream on top.
A frosting that holds. Stabilized whipped cream keeps its shape in the fridge for days.
Shortcut friendly. Store bought angel food cake and lemon curd work great.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are three simple parts to these lemon cupcakes with lemon curd. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Fresh lemon juice: The heart of the curd. Fresh squeezed juice tastes bright and clean, while bottled juice can taste flat.
Egg yolks: Thicken the curd into a smooth, spoonable filling as it cooks. Beat them before adding so they cook evenly. Save the whites for the cupcakes.
Unsalted butter and a pinch of salt: Make the curd rich and silky and balance its tartness.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the curd and the cupcakes. For the cupcakes, pulse it in a food processor until very fine so it dissolves into the egg whites without weighing them down.
All purpose flour: Sifted, so it folds into the whipped whites without lumps. Sifting it with half the sugar keeps it from clumping.
Egg whites: The base of angel food cake. Room temperature whites whip up higher and faster. Make sure the bowl is completely clean, since any trace of yolk or grease keeps them from whipping.
Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the whipped egg whites so they hold their volume in the oven. Without it, angel food cupcakes are more likely to shrink as they cool.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract in the cupcakes and vanilla bean paste in the frosting add warmth that rounds out the lemon.
Heavy whipping cream: Cold cream whips best, so keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it. It becomes a light, fluffy frosting that pipes beautifully.
Powdered sugar and cornstarch: Powdered sugar sweetens the cream, and cornstarch stabilizes it so it won’t weep or deflate.
Lemon curd: A spoonful folded into the whipped cream gives the frosting its lemon flavor.

How to Make Easy Lemon Cupcakes from Scratch

Make the lemon curd. Whisk the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, butter and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then boil gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until thick. Let it cool.
Prep the oven. Preheat to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with liners.
Prep the sugar and flour. Pulse the sugar in a food processor for about 2 minutes, until very fine. Sift half of it with the flour and salt.
Whip the egg whites. Mix the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on low until combined. Gradually add the remaining sugar, then beat on medium speed until the whites form medium peaks that are glossy and hold their shape.
Fold in the flour. Sift the flour mixture over the whites a little at a time and fold it in by hand in very small batches.
Bake. Fill the liners about 3/4 full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then on a wire rack until completely cool.
Whip the frosting. Whisk the heavy cream on low until bubbles form. Add the powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time, then the cornstarch and vanilla once soft peaks form. Whip on medium until stiff, without over beating, then fold in the lemon curd.
Fill and frost. Pipe about a teaspoon of curd into each cooled cupcake, about 1/2 inch down. Frost and garnish with mint leaves and sprinkles if you like.

Tip: You don’t need a lot of curd, because it is a very concentrated flavor. If you are not sure you are filling them enough, test one first, cut it in half and go from there.

Ways to Customize Lemon Cupcakes

Try another curd: Fill them with Raspberry Lemonade Curd or Vanilla Bean Orange Curd.
Take the shortcut: Use boxed angel food cake and jarred lemon curd, and only make the whipped cream.
Garnish: Add fresh mint leaves, sprinkles or a thin slice of lemon on top.
Frost your way: Pipe the whipped cream or simply spread it with a knife.

Lemon Cupcakes FAQs

Can I use a boxed angel food cake mix? Yes. Boxed angel food cake comes out almost exactly like a from scratch version. Bake it in lined cupcake tins and fill and frost as directed.
Can I use store bought lemon curd? Yes. Look for a little jar by the jams and jellies. Homemade curd has a brighter flavor, but the shortcut still tastes great.
How do I fill the cupcakes? Put the curd in a piping bag with a small round tip, push it about 1/2 inch into the top of each cooled cupcake and squeeze gently. You will feel the curd going in.
What is stabilized whipped cream? Whipped cream with a little cornstarch added. It holds its shape and stays airy in the fridge for days.
Can I make the lemon curd ahead? Yes. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to fill the cupcakes.
How do I store the cupcakes? Because of the whipped cream and curd, keep them covered in the fridge and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
Why should I only assemble cooled cupcakes? Warm cupcakes melt the whipped cream and make the curd run, so let them cool completely first.

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd

Dana DeVolk

Lemon cupcakes with lemon curd, made from light angel food cake, filled with homemade curd and topped with stabilized lemon whipped cream. Makes 12 bright, airy cupcakes.

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Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

1/2 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
pinch kosher salt

Angel Food Cupcakes

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour sifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 egg whites room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 tablespoon prepared lemon curd

Instructions

Lemon Curd

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Place over medium heat and let come to a slow boil, whisking constantly.
Continue to boil gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Take off the heat, let cool. Use in cupcakes or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Angel Food Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners, set aside.
In a food processor, place the sugar and pulse until very fine, about 2 minutes. Sift half of the sugar with the flour and salt, set aside.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer, add the egg whites, add in the water, vanilla and cream of tartar. Mix on low until fully combined. Gradually add in the remaining sugar until incorporated. Place mixer on medium speed until egg whites form medium peaks.
Start to add in the flour mixture a little at a time by sifting it onto the surface of the egg mixture and folding it in in very small batches by hand.
Fill the cupcake liners almost all the way to the top, about 3/4 full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

In a large bowl, add the heavy cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk on low until bubbles start to form. Add in the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking between additions. Add the cornstarch and vanilla once the cream forms soft peaks.
Continue to whip on medium speed until the cream will stand up on the whisk and will not move. Do not over beat or you will have butter. Add the lemon curd, and fold in by hand until combined.

Cupcake Assembly

Only assembly once the cupcakes are completely cooled. Add lemon curd to a piping bag with a small round tip. Gently press into the middle of the cupcake about 1/2 inch down. Squeeze some curd into the cupcake, only about a teaspoons worth. Continue with all the cupcakes.
Place whipped cream into a piping bag or frost however you wish. Add mint leaves and sprinkles for garnish, if desired.

Made these cupcakes? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell us how they turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other bakers.

More Recipes You’ll Love

This recipe was shared by Dana. Visit her blog, This Silly Girl’s Kitchen, for more recipes.