Gluten-free Lemon Curd Easter Cupcakes

Photography by Simeon Crofts

DIETARY – Gluten-free/Vegetarian/Nut-free

Zesty, fresh and filled with sunshine – this recipe offers a delicious break from all the Easter chocolate!

Easter weekend is just around the corner, and while I’m as much of a chocolate fiend as the next person, sometimes it’s nice to offer something a little fresher. These cupcakes are for the lemon lovers – for those who want a hit of citrusy brightness to cut through the richness of the festive season.

They’re soft, fluffy, and filled with a surprise centre of tangy lemon curd, then topped with the silkiest lemon buttercream. Delish! And yes, they’re 100% gluten-free – though I dare you to guess it! I promise, these might just be the lightest and fluffiest cupcakes you’ve ever eaten. No dense texture, no gumminess, no dry crumb, no gluten. Just sunshine in a cake!

Whether you’re planning a long Easter lunch, putting together a dessert platter, or just want something sweet to share with family or friends, these cupcakes are a refreshing option that still feels special. They’re easy to make and worth the extra effort for the surprise lemon filling and are sure to impress on any Easter table.

I hope these cupcakes bring a little bit of brightness to your table this Easter — or whenever you choose to bake them!

Happy baking!

Gluten-free Lemon Curd Easter Cupcakes

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Makes: 12

These gluten-free lemon curd cupcakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with citrusy joy—perfect for Easter or any time you want a tasty treat!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 200g gluten-free plain flour
• 20g cornflour
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 55g vegetable oil
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 125ml milk
• Lemon curd, for filling

For the buttercream icing:

• 230g unsalted butter, softened
• 500g icing sugar, sifted
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. First, pre-heat the oven to 190°C (170°C Fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients except the caster sugar together in a bowl and set aside. Ensure you sift the gluten-free flour and cornflour; this will help produce a lighter bake.
3. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter, oil and sugar together until light and fluffy – around 1-2 mins.
4. Add the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract, lemon juice and milk and beat again until smooth and well combined.
5. Add your dry ingredient mix to the batter and mix until combined. Your cake batter should be thick and easy to spoon into the prepared cupcake cases.
6. Fill each cupcake case until ¾ full, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a knife/skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Mine took exactly 20 minutes.
7. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a cooling rack.
8. Once cool, use a sharp knife to cut out small cone shapes from the centre of each cupcake. To do this, carve a small-medium circle and point the knife slightly inwards to carve out the cone shape. Set the cones of cake aside and trim to make flat ‘plugs’ to seal the cakes later – this just means cutting off the pointy end to leave a flat round of cake.
9. Fill each cupcake with a teaspoon of lemon curd then pop the rounds of cake you removed earlier back on top of each one to seal the lemon curd inside.
10. Now you’re ready to make the buttercream frosting. In a bowl, beat the softened butter with a whisk or hand/stand mixer until light and fluffy.
11. Sift in the icing sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat again until smooth.
12. Use a piping bag or spoon to add the icing to your cupcakes. If making for Easter, add a few chocolate eggs on top for an extra treat!

https://deliciously-free.com/recipes/gluten-free-lemon-curd-easter-cupcakes

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