Lemon Cream Pie Cupcakes

After I made the Lemon Creme {Cheese} Cupcakes, I had some leftover lemon curd and lemon cupcakes and decided to try a cream pie variation.  I loved both variations so I decided to post them both.  Pick whichever you fancy!

These ones have a graham cracker pie crust and are topped with sweetened whipped cream.

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This lemon filling can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble cupcakes.  You will have lots of extra or you can cut recipe in half.

Lemon Filling

Recipe from Martha Stewart

-1 1/2 cups sugar
-6 Tbsp cornstarch
-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 cup cold water
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-3 large egg yolks, well beaten
-2 Tbsp butter

-1 1/2 cups boiling water
-2 tsp grated lemon peel

In a medium saucepan* whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cold water and lemon juice. Place saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk until smooth. 

Add well-beaten egg yolks and 2 tablespoons butter, and combine well. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened.  Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Continue stirring until mixture reaches desired thickness, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat, and stir in lemon peel.  Move to a plastic container, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

*Aluminum is best, but any metal pan will probably leave a bit of a metallic taste.

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These cupcakes can also be made a day or so in advance, just be sure to cover them well so they don't dry out. 

 For Cupcake Crusts:
-2 sleeves graham crackers (18 crackers)
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
-2 Tbsp sugar

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.  Pour into a bowl and mix with butter and sugar until well combined.  Put a Tbsp of crust mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner (already in cupcake tin) and press down well.  I use the bottom of a squeeze bottle and it makes this SUPER quick.

Bake 3- 4 min.  You will have extra.

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Lemon Cupcakes

-1 box Betty Crocker golden vanilla cake mix, and ingredients to make it
-1 tsp lemon extract
-zest of 2 lemons (make sure to grate off only the outer yellow skin, not the bitter white pith underneath!)

Mix together cake mix according to box directions (adding oil, water, and eggs).  Stir in lemon extract and lemon zest and mix well.  Pour batter into 24 cupcake papers, on top of crusts, and bake according the instructions on the back of the box.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely on cooling racks.

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 Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting

 Click here for stabilized whipped cream frosting recipe. For 24 cupcakes, you'll want to double it.

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To Assemble Cupcakes:

Cut a conical hole in the center of each cupcake and discard excess cupcake pieces.  Fill holes with chilled lemon curd.  Swirl tops of cupcakes with stabilized whipped cream frosting using a 1M tip.