LEMON COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH LEMON FILLING

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Filling image

Perfect Cupcake for the Summer! It features a yellow cake cupcake (you can do a lemon flavored cupcake too) with lemon curd filling, cream cheese frosting and topped with coconut. It's so good and moist and this will make your mouth ZING! I add raspberries to the top to give it some color, but you can omit that part. These...

Provided by Annamaria Settanni McDonald

Time 1h25m

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 lb cream cheese at room temperature
3 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 lb confectioners' sugar, sifted
CUPCAKE
1 box moist deluxe yellow or lemon cake mix
14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
LEMON CURD FILLING
5 egg yolks
1 c sugar
zest from 4 lemons
1/3 c lemon juice from 3-4 lemons
1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled
TOPPING
sweetened shredded coconut
fresh rasberries (24) (optional)

Steps:

1. Make cupcake batter according to package directions and fold in coconut after batter is mixed. Bake according to package directions. Cool Cupcakes when done.
2. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
3. LEMON CURD: Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water. Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Allow curd to cool or store in refrigerator. Curd will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
4. TO ASSEMBLE: Fill a plastic pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip with the cooled lemon curd. Gently poke the pastry bag tip into the center top of the cupcakes and fill with a small amount of curd. If needed, wipe off any excess curd from the tops with a clean paper towel.
5. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, top with shredded coconut and top with a raspberry. Peel paper back and take a big bite and enjoy and be ready for your mouth to zing!