Friday Baking and Passionfruit Curd Cupcakes

My mum and I bake on Fridays. It's something I look forward to every week, not only because it's a really good excuse to try a new recipe every week, but once my boys go down for their naps we have some really good chats and, dare I say it, adult time (I know, what am I thinking wanting time for myself? haha).

Being a stay at home mum I can feel a bit ... unstimulated during the week. All my friends who are also home during the day live an hour away and it is just too far to take my boys without serious repercussions (read: toddler screaming all the way home and baby refusing to nap). Not fun. So, I really look forward to Fridays.

Unfortunately Mum is attending a course today, so no cooking this particular Friday! It's okay, though, because I found some photos from our very first baking day. I know, exciting huh? So, what was this super fantastic concoction of sugar, butter, flour and even more sugar that started it all? None other than Passionfruit Curd Cupcakes! (Oh nom)

This is what happens when you run out of frosting...

At the time this was pretty darn fancy for me (and a little bit stressful - I had to make THREE things *gasp!*).  I love making things that have a little bit of a wow factor, whether its dressing up cupcakes with a filling, a super punch of flavour (citrus, especially), or going over the top (cookie dough and brownies, anyone?). It's fun. And yummy.

These cupcakes have a coarser crumb and are denser than you may be used to (I was a bit surprised when I first tasted them) but I think it works well with the curd. If you want a fluffier cupcake, just use your favourite recipe. With the curd, it is REALLY important that you use passionfruits with a lot of flavour and tartness, because otherwise your curd will be very non-eventful (as I discovered the second time I made it). Easy way to check - just taste your pulp before you add it. Also, make enough frosting to top the WHOLE cupcake - as you can see with ours, we ran out (whoops!)

What is your favourite cupcake/filling/frosting combination?


Passionfruit Curd Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe from Taste
Passionfruit Curd recipe from Taste (the cheesecake recipe this is from is DIVINE!)
Butter frosting adapted from Taste
Makes 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
200g butter, softened
370g (1 3/4 cups) caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used vanilla extract)
4 eggs
405g (2 3/4 cups) self-raising flour
250ml (1 cup) milk

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Line two 24hole muffin pans with patty cases.

Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla paste/extract until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour and milk in two alternate batches and stir until just combined (the more you stir, the less soft your cupcakes will be). 

Divide among patty cases and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean or the tops bounce back when pressed. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

For the Passionfruit curd:
Pulp from 2 passionfruit
50g butter
2 eggs, lightly whisked
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
1tbs lemon juice

Cook passionfruit pulp, butter, eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens (I think mine took about 15 minutes)

For the Butter frosting:
200g butter, softened
900g (6 cups) icing sugar mixture
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
Flavouring (I used vanilla extract but you could also use lemon zest - just add to taste)

Beat the butter until very pale. Gradually add the icing sugar while continuing to beat. Add the milk and flavouring and beat until well combined and fluffy.

To assemble:
Using a knife or apple corer, cut a circle out of the top of each cupcake (make sure you keep them). Fill each hole with curd and then top with the cake piece you removed. Pipe a swirl of frosting on top (I was aiming to completely cover the top so the curd was a surprise. Maybe next time...)

Enjoy!