Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

These bright Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes are sweet and fluffy with a lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting. Each bite has a layer of chewy, nutty poppy seeds, sweet lemon cake, zesty lemon curd, and creamy frosting overflowing with fresh citrus flavor. 

Making this fresh lemon dessert recipe from scratch to enjoy with friends and family is a real treat. It is a vibrant dessert with the best flavors that is perfect to bring to gatherings and cookouts or simply enjoy at home. 

If you love this lemon poppy seed cupcake recipe and are looking for a challenge then you should try my Lemon Coconut Layer Cake, too. Like this recipe, there are a few steps to take but the results are absolutely worth it.

Why I love Lemon Cupcakes with Poppyseeds

This cupcake recipe brings together the best flavors for a summer lemon dessert that bursts with fresh citrus flavors. You’ll be craving these poppy seed cupcakes again and again. 

Layers – Each part of this cupcake recipe is a winner. The fresh lemon juice and zest in the curd and cupcake batter are bright and refreshing with vanilla homemade cream cheese frosting for a sweet dessert.

Texture – The lemon cupcake is soft and dense with chewy poppyseeds. Paired with creamy easy lemon curd and light cream cheese buttercream frosting, the textures complement each other for the perfect bite.

Aromatic – Lemon’s zest contains oils that are wonderfully aromatic and adds a brightness to the cupcake. Plus, poppy seeds give off a nutty, earthy aroma and taste. Together they are irresistible and make for a lovely seasonal dessert for summer and spring.

Lemon Curd Filled Cupcake Ingredients

This lemon poppy seed cupcakes recipe uses common pantry and dairy items or easy-to-find ingredients. It’s important to note that the cold ingredients (eggs, butter, milk, and cream cheese) should be at room temperature.

• Dry Ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Sugar will be added separately. 

• Wet Ingredients: unsalted butter, oil, eggs, milk, and lemon juice.
  
• Add-ins: lemon zest and poppyseeds

Ingredients for Lemon Curd

• Unsalted butter – for each layer of this cupcake recipe we use room temperature ingredients.
  
• Sugar
  
• Eggs
  
• Lemon juice and zest
  
• Salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese – The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature to cream together with the butter and allow the sugar to combine.
  
• Unsalted butter – Use room temperature butter. You want it to be soft to the touch but not oily.
  
• Powdered sugar – I sift my powdered sugar to ensure a smooth buttercream.
  
• Vanilla extract – Just enough to add the sweet flavor of vanilla.

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Making lemon cupcakes from scratch that have the best aromatic flavors takes a few steps to accomplish but it is indeed an easy recipe. Have all your equipment and ingredients measured and ready to go to make this lemon poppy cupcake recipe with curd and easy cream cheese frosting.

Start with zesting and juicing the lemons for the cupcake batter and the lemon curd. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Preheat the oven and line a cupcake tin with liners.

Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.

Beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute, and then add in the oil and mix until incorporated. 

Add the sugar to the butter and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the side as needed, until creamy and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until combined before adding the next. Then mix in the milk and lemon juice. 

Gently stir in lemon zest and poppy seeds.

Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way. 

Bake cupcakes: Bake for about 18 minutes. Start checking the cupcakes at the 15-minute mark, and keep baking and checking as necessary. To see if the cupcakes are ready, gently press your finger on top of the cupcakes, and if they spring right back, they are done baking. 

Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling and frosting.

How to make lemon curd

Prepare curd mixture: Use a hand mixer and beat butter in a bowl for 1 minute. Then beat in the sugar until creamy. 

Mix in eggs one at a time ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Add the lemon juice, zest, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Don’t worry if this mixture looks like it is separated. 

Cook lemon curd: Pour the lemon butter through a mesh sieve into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Do not let it boil.

Heat the curd slowly until a candy thermometer reads 170ºF (76ºC). If you don’t have a thermometer, then you are looking for the curd to be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

Refrigerate curd: Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The curd will set and get very thick as it cools.

I have tried many ways of making lemon curd, and this way worked best for me. I often get questions if the ingredients can’t just be thrown all at once in a pan and cooked together, but without making an emulsion first, the eggs will begin to cook immediately and curdle. So it is necessary to beat the ingredients first.

Making the lemon curd over a double boiler takes forever and I feel like it never comes out as thick as I like it to be.

I’ve also tried making lemon curd in the microwave and I ended up each time passing the point and cooking too much, so I stick to this method which works best for me.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream together: Add the softened cream cheese and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Add sugar: Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. At the last minute, turn up the speed to high and then add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Prepare for piping: Scoop the frosting into a piping bag with the tip inserted and set aside.

To assemble the cupcakes

Remove the center of each cupcake and fill with lemon curd. 

Pipe a tall ring of cream cheese frosting around the edge of the cupcake, leaving the center unfrosted.

Spoon more curd in the middle and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Baker’s Tips:

• Use unsalted butter – this makes it easier to control the salt in the recipe.
  
• Use room temperature ingredients – for this citrus cupcake recipe, and most baking recipes, room temp ingredients, like butter, eggs, and cream cheese, work best.
  
  TIP: You can quickly bring eggs to room temp by placing them whole in a cup of warm, not hot, water for about 10 minutes.
  
• Distraction-free Curd – You’ll want to be available to stand by and watch the lemon curd and mix non-stop, so it’s best to work solely on this part of the recipe without distraction. You have to be able to keep whisking the curd on low heat, otherwise, the mixture may turn to scrambled eggs!
  
• Measure flour or weigh – Flour can easily be compacted when you just scoop it out of its container. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and scrape the top even. Alternately you can weigh the flour using a scale to ensure you have the correct measurement.
  
• Fill level – Fill the cupcake tins ⅔’s full to allow room to rise without over filling.  

Why use room temp ingredients?

Room temperature ingredients assist in creating a light and fluffy texture by creating an emulsion that traps air. The heat while baking causes the air to expand and lifts the batter to become soft while cooking.

Why are my cupcakes flat? 

Check dates on baking powder, flour, and soda. If expired or not stored properly they may lose their effect. You can check the baking powder for freshness by adding a small amount to hot water. If it foams, it is good. If not, then purchase new baking powder.  

Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?

This usually happens when undercooked and removed from the oven too soon. Another reason could be that your oven isn’t heating to the proper temperature. Use an oven thermometer to ensure it is reaching the correct temp.

Over filling the cupcake pans will also result in sinking.

Substitutions

If you want to try this recipe but are unsure if the ingredients either match your diet restrictions or what you have available, you may find some of these substitutions for lemon cupcakes worth making.

• Lime Curd Filled Cupcakes – Switch out the lemon juice and lemon zest for limes! Or another citrus such as oranges. This would be a unique tasty spin-off of this lemon recipe. This curd recipe will actually work with any fruit juice or puree.
  
• Make American buttercream – If you don’t want to use cream cheese, try a regular buttercream frosting with a splash of lemon juice added. The frosting will taste similar to cream cheese but have the consistency of traditional buttercream.
  
  Note that this may be sweeter than when made with cream cheese, as American buttercream usually is.
  
• Use an alternative to poppy seeds – Black sesame seeds are a little nuttier in flavor and larger but could be a great substitute for poppy seeds. You could also use chia seeds as they are similar in appearance and texture.

Baking with freshly squeezed lemon is so refreshing and creates beautifully tasting recipes. This Raspberry Lemon Rolls recipe uses fresh lemons and raspberries for an equally delicious dessert that you will love!

Cupcakes with Filling Storage

After assembling, these cupcakes with lemon curd filling can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before eating for the best texture and for the buttercream to soften.

To freeze: The undecorated poppyseed cupcakes and buttercream cream cheese frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. 

To freeze frosted cupcakes filled with lemon curd, place the cupcakes on a cookie sheet and allow them to freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, wrap each cupcake with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe container. 

When ready to eat, remove the plastic while still frozen and place it in a covered dish in the refrigerator overnight and then on the counter until the frosting has softened.

Can I make cupcakes with lemon curd ahead of time?

Yes! You can make all 3 components, cupcake, curd, and buttercream, ahead of time. Assemble and store in the refrigerator, or make each recipe and store separately, assembling when ready to use. Lemon curd can be made up to a week in advance when stored properly in the refrigerator.

This recipe originally appeared on my book Fantastic Filled Cupcakes.

And this is the pan I used for the cupcakes. It is a jumbo muffin pan, but you can bake regular size cupcakes in it as well! The liners will fit just fine! I love this pan because it makes the sides of the cupcakes straight, and it’s so pretty!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Camila Hurst

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes are fluffy, made with poppy seeds in the batter, filled with Lemon Curd, topped with Cream Cheese Frosting and poppy seeds.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 159 g
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (56 g)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 60 ml
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/4 cup milk at room temperature (60 ml)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 60 ml
• 2 tbsp lemon zest 10 g
• 2 1/2 tsp poppy seeds plus more for garnish (7 g)

Lemon Curd

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature (84 g)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 133 g
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup lemon juice 120 ml
• 6 tbsp lemon zest 30 g
• 1/4 tsp salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup cream cheese at room temperature (226 g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (113 g)
• 4 cups powdered sugar sifted (500 g)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 7 ml

Instructions

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

• To make the Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line 12 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the oil and mix until incorporated. Next, add the granulated sugar and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until combined before adding the next. Add the milk and the lemon juice, and mix to combine. Next, add the lemon zest and poppy seeds and mix briefly.
• Lastly, add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way. Bake for about 18 minutes. Start checking the cupcakes at the 15-minute mark, and keep baking and checking as necessary.
• To see if the cupcakes are ready, gently press with your finger on top of the cupcakes, and if they spring right back, they are done baking. Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling and frosting.

Lemon Curd

• To make the Lemon Curd, in a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another minute, until creamy.
• Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix, making sure the first egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add the lemon juice, zest and salt and mix on low speed until combined. The mixture might look separated and that’s okay. Pour it into a small saucepan and place it over medium-low heat.
• Make sure you don’t let the curd come to a boil at any point, and don’t stop stirring at any point either, because that will lead to the eggs curdling, and the curd will taste like scrambled eggs.
• Heat the curd slowly until a candy thermometer reads 170ºF (76ºC). If you don’t have a thermometer, the curd should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. Once you achieve a nice thick curd, remove it to a bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The curd will set and get very thick as it cools.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• To make the Cream Cheese Frosting, place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Cream on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, until very fluffy and light in color, scraping the bowl once or twice during the process.
• Next, add the sifted powdered sugar to the bowl with the cream cheese and butter. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 more minute. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

To assemble

• To assemble the cupcakes, remove the center of each cupcake with a spoon. Next, spoon some Lemon Curd into the middle of each cupcake.
• Place the Cream Cheese Frosting in a piping bag fitted with the piping tip of choice.
• Pipe a tall ring around the edge of the cupcakes, leaving a hole in the middle. Spoon some more curd into the middle of the frosting ring, and sprinkle with some poppy seeds to decorate.

Storage

• The cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Keyword cupcake