Lemon Curd Chiffon Cupcakes
These cupcakes are a little like hard-boiled eggs. They are easy to eat, have to be peeled and have a yellow center. That is where the similarities end.
The chiffon cake base is exceptionally light and airy. That texture comes from making a French meringue and gently folding it into the batter.
Do not let the meringue intimidate you. The batter is straightforward to prepare, and the finished cupcakes are worth the extra step.
The response to these was very positive. One coworker who claimed not to like lemon curd ate three cupcakes in less than five hours. He might have eaten more, but by then they were gone.
The complete recipe and instructions are at the end of this post. You will need vegetable oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla, cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and egg whites.
Combine the Egg Yolks and Liquids
Whisk the vegetable oil and egg yolks together until combined.
Stir in the room-temperature water and vanilla extract.
Add the Dry Ingredients
Sift together the cake flour, one-third of the granulated sugar, the baking powder and salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture, then beat at high speed for one minute until smooth.
Transfer the batter to another large bowl if you need to reuse the mixer bowl for the egg whites. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk thoroughly before making the meringue.
Make the French Meringue
Whip the egg whites until they become white and foamy and the bottom of the bowl is no longer easily visible.
Gradually add the remaining sugar, a little at a time, while continuing to whip.
Stop when the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks. Avoid whipping beyond this point because overbeaten egg whites can become dry, grainy and difficult to fold into the batter.
Fold and Bake the Cupcakes
Fold the meringue gently into the reserved batter in several additions.
Use a broad folding motion and rotate the bowl as you work. Stop as soon as no obvious streaks of white remain.
Fill the cupcake liners approximately two-thirds full. Keeping the portions similar will help the cupcakes bake evenly.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 20 minutes. The tops should spring back lightly when touched, and a tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pans for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling or decorating.
Fill and Decorate the Cupcakes
Once cooled, the cupcakes can be filled with lemon curd and decorated with buttercream.
Using a long filling tip, pipe approximately one teaspoon of lemon curd into the center of each cupcake.
Because the filling is hidden, test the amount on one cupcake and cut it open if necessary. This will help you judge how long to pipe without overfilling the remaining cupcakes.
Apply a thin layer of white buttercream to the top of each cupcake.
For the Easter design, pipe green buttercream over the surface with a grass tip, then place small chocolate eggs on top.
Chiffon Cupcakes
Light, airy cupcakes made by folding French meringue into a vanilla chiffon batter. Fill them with lemon curd and decorate with buttercream if desired.
Adapted from The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry, 4th Edition.
Chiffon Cupcakes
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil (160 milliliters)
- 8 large egg yolks, approximately 2/3 cup (160 milliliters)
- 1 cup water, at room temperature (240 milliliters)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15 milliliters)
- 14 ounces cake flour (400 grams)
- 14 ounces granulated sugar, divided (400 grams)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder (16 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt (5 grams)
- 8 large egg whites, approximately 1 cup (240 milliliters)
Optional Filling and Decoration
- Lemon curd, approximately 1 teaspoon per cupcake
- White buttercream
- Green-tinted buttercream
- Small chocolate eggs or another decoration
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Combine the yolks and oil. Whisk the vegetable oil and egg yolks together until combined.
- Add the liquids. Stir in the water and vanilla.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together the cake flour, one-third of the sugar, approximately 4 2/3 ounces or 133 grams, the baking powder and salt.
- Make the base batter. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture, then beat at high speed for one minute.
- Reserve the batter. Transfer it to a large bowl if the mixer bowl is needed for the egg whites.
- Prepare the equipment. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk thoroughly so they are free of grease.
- Whip the egg whites. Beat until the whites become uniformly foamy.
- Add the remaining sugar. Gradually add the remaining two-thirds of the sugar, approximately 9 1/3 ounces or 267 grams.
- Finish the meringue. Continue beating until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
- Lighten the batter. Fold a small portion of the meringue into the base batter to loosen it.
- Complete the batter. Fold in the remaining meringue in several additions, stopping when no white streaks remain.
- Fill the liners. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
- Bake. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool briefly. Let the cupcakes rest in the pans for five minutes.
- Cool completely. Transfer them to a wire rack before filling or decorating.
- Fill if desired. Pipe approximately one teaspoon of lemon curd into the center of each cupcake.
- Decorate if desired. Frost with buttercream and add the preferred decorations.
Recipe Notes
- The original recipe omitted the amounts for the divided sugar in the instructions. One-third is approximately 4 2/3 ounces or 133 grams, and the remaining two-thirds is approximately 9 1/3 ounces or 267 grams.
- Use cake flour rather than all-purpose flour for the lightest texture.
- Room-temperature egg whites generally whip to a greater volume than very cold whites.
- The mixing bowl and whisk must be completely clean and free of grease before whipping the egg whites.
- A small amount of yolk in the whites can interfere with meringue formation.
- Add the sugar gradually after the whites become foamy.
- Stop whipping when glossy stiff peaks form. Dry, clumpy egg whites have been overbeaten.
- Fold gently to preserve the air in the meringue.
- Do not leave the finished batter sitting for an extended period before baking.
- The original process-image links all pointed to the first photograph. Each link has been corrected to match its displayed image.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before adding lemon curd or buttercream.
- Filled cupcakes containing lemon curd should be refrigerated.
Chiffon Cupcake FAQs
What makes chiffon cupcakes light and airy?
Whipped egg whites provide much of the lift. The air trapped in the French meringue expands during baking and creates the light crumb.
What is French meringue?
French meringue is made by whipping raw egg whites and gradually adding granulated sugar until the mixture becomes glossy and holds peaks.
Why is vegetable oil used instead of butter?
Oil remains liquid at room temperature, helping chiffon cake stay soft and moist even after cooling.
Can all-purpose flour replace cake flour?
It can produce a heavier result because it contains more protein. Cake flour is preferable for the intended delicate texture.
Why did my egg whites fail to whip?
The bowl may have contained grease or moisture, or a small amount of egg yolk may have entered the whites.
How do I know when the meringue is ready?
It should look glossy and form peaks that remain upright when the whisk is lifted.
Can egg whites be overbeaten?
Yes. Overbeaten whites look dry or grainy and are difficult to incorporate without losing volume.
Why did my cupcakes turn out dense?
The meringue may have been underwhipped, overwhipped or deflated during folding. The batter may also have sat too long before baking.
Why did the cupcakes sink?
They may have been underbaked, the oven door may have been opened too early or too much air may have been lost during mixing.
Can I make the cupcakes without lemon curd?
Yes. The chiffon cupcakes can be served plain, filled with another custard or jam, or topped only with buttercream.
How much lemon curd should go into each cupcake?
Approximately one teaspoon is a good starting point. Test one cupcake first because the exact amount depends on its size.
How should lemon curd chiffon cupcakes be stored?
Store filled cupcakes in a covered container in the refrigerator because lemon curd is perishable.
Can chiffon cupcakes be frozen?
Yes. Freeze the unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container, then thaw and decorate them before serving.
What equipment do I need for this recipe?
Recommended equipment: Stand mixer (opens Amazon in a new tab), Mixing bowl (opens Amazon in a new tab), Whisk (opens Amazon in a new tab), Cooling racks (opens Amazon in a new tab), Fine-mesh sieve (opens Amazon in a new tab).
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What is the estimated nutrition per cupcake?
Estimated nutrition per cupcake: Calories: 170 calories; Carbohydrates: 22.2 g; Protein: 4.4 g; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1.4 g; Unsaturated Fat: 5.6 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 93 mg; Sodium: 97 mg; Fiber: 0.3 g; Sugar: 12.6 g.
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