Vanilla Cupcakes with Lime-ginger curd, topped with buttercream

While waiting for the pictures I took too download.. A tragic story is about unfold.  I wanted to make a new frosting.  It involved egg whites, sugar, and lots of whisking.  It is my nemesis, and it's name is Swiss buttercream. Martha Stewart introduced us, (curse you Martha) in her lovely cupcake book. It is deceptively simple.  I decided to give it a try today.  It did not work.  It was runny, and a sickly grey color.  I know where my mistakes were, and one day will try and try and try again.  But for now, I'm sticking to the good old American buttercream.  What is not to love about it anyway?  Butter, sugar and yumminess.  And really, why mess with perfection?

On to the my cupcakes.  Once again, I used my go to recipe for vanilla cupcakes.  But I wanted something more.  Being an adult, or at least trying to be one, I wanted something that wasn't too sweet, but that would still have that childhood memories of sweetness to it, if that makes sense.  So, while looking at another one of my favorite food blogs, I became inspired.  And made Lime ginger curd to fill the cupcakes.  here is the recipe (and note to self, I needed to cook the curd just a little longer it wasn't thick enough for what I wanted it to do) this is adapted from the lemon curd recipe found on Meet Me in the Kitchen.

Lime Ginger Curd

3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lime juice, plus the zest from 4 limes
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of ground ginger (less if you don't want a lot of ginger taste, more if you like the ginger kick)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Whisk together eggs, egg yolk, sugar and lime juice and zest.  Place in a sauce pan (nonreactive) cook on medium heat.  You don't want it boiling!  Keep whisking that baby until it becomes thick and coats the back of a spoon.  Which I found to be unnecessary because it was visibly thicker.  Pour into a sieve, and let it rest in a heatproof bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the curd, otherwise you will get a skin on the curd.  Let chill in the refrigerator until it is cold.


Meanwhile, make your vanilla cupcakes and let them cool down.  Using the cone method, instructions found here cut out the middle of the cupcakes, reserve the top part.  Make your buttercream..(1 cup unsalted room temp butter, about 2 cups powder sugar, milk and vanilla...trick to the buttercream, let the butter and sugar whip together until it is light and fluffy.) Assemble your cupcakes.  Fill each cupcake with the lime ginger curd, I used my new pastry tip for that, place the top of the cupcake back on and frost the cupcakes (I used the biggest pastry tip I had for that, decorating was a breeze!) I sprinkled on some sweetened coconut flakes, but you can leave off the coconut..a couple of shavings of dark chocolate would be wonderful on these babies..And here are some actual pictures..I know you guys are shocked! :)

I wasn't sure if the curd needed to be refrigerated, so to be on the safe side, I put mine in the obliging Fridge. Oh my, these were so good.  And it's a good thing I am on a diet and only tried one!  I gave the rest away.  L wanted  blue cupcakes, so I ended up only filling half of the cupcakes with the curd.  I think there was enough curd to fill at least 12, maybe 14 cupcakes.  You would have to double the recipe for 24 cupcakes.  And, a friend requested that I make them for a bake sale..so hopefully I am not the only one who enjoys these cupcakes!