Fresh Ricotta and Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour not self-rising
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup County Crock® Unsalted Buttery Sticks 1 stick
2 large large eggs
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup lemon curd

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup Country Crock® Unsalted Buttery Sticks 2 sticks
3 cups powdered sugar
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

SHAMROCK SHAKE CUPCAKES

Instructions

Cupcake Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together sugar, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add Buttery Sticks and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, ricotta, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
Bake for 18 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. If they are not done, test again every two minutes.
When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from cupcake tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don't own a cooling rack) to cool.
Once cooled, cut a small circle around the middle of the top of each cupcake, going down 3/4 of the way into the cupcake creating small cylinders. Remove the cylinders and set aside.
Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon of lemon curd.
Remove the bottom half of each of the removed cake cylinders. Place the top halves back on top of the filled holes. Don't worry if they don't perfectly fit as you will be covering them with frosting.

Frosting Instructions

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat Buttery Sticks until light and fluffy.
Slowly mix in powdered sugar until fully combined.
Puree raspberries in a food processor or blender. Press through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Measure out 1/4 cup of raspberry puree and mix into the frosting.
Mix in lemon extract.
Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.

For more detail www.cupcakeproject.com