When making filled cupcakes, is it possible to bake a custard filling in it?

Question

I'm about to make filled cupcakes for the first time. It'll be this cupcake from Ming Makes Cupcakes. The filling is basically lemon curd, i.e. a custard. Most tutorials on making filled cupcakes mention either:

• Spritzing it in with a piping bag, which I don't have. Also apparently it only allows for a small amount of filling.
• Cutting a cone out of the cupcake, filling the hole, and then replacing the cone - this seems fiddly and I'm kind of a klutz and it sounds like a recipe (badoom-tsch) for having half my cupcakes fall apart.

One last how-to mentioned that it's possible to bake fillings that won't be absorbed into the batter (candy, an Oreo, etc) inside the cupcake. I'm wondering: would this be possible with lemon curd? Since it's a custard, I'm guessing it shouldn't dissolve in the heat.

Does this sound feasible or has anyone tried this? If so, any things I should be careful of? E.g. should I make the custard thicker so it keeps together inside the batter? Or thinner so it finishes cooking while baking? If so how to make it keep together until the batter sets? (I'm guessing chilling thoroughly? Freezing is probably a bad idea though.)

Answer 1

If you use a sandwich bag with a corner cut out of it, you now have a make-shift piping bag :). Just fill the bag, twist it, and then cut a corner out.

The problem I see with trying to bake a cupcake with a custard center, is this:

Even if you have the custard pre-made (and probably chilled) It won't be hard enough to "wrap" in the cupcake batter. Typically cupcake batter is not very firm, and you'd end up with a mess. This may work with a heavier dough, perhaps a pastry dough or something. The custard will definitely hold up just fine, it's just the act of somehow suspending it in the cupcake batter long enough for the batter to set into cake, that is slightly impractical.

The only other thing I could think of is perhaps making a gelatin custard and hope that it will hold up long enough for the batter to cook. The downside to this, obviously, is that you'll end up jello custard if the cupcakes aren't eaten warm, and on top of that, trying to hit the perfect gelatin amount would be VERY hard.

Freezing the custard will likely not work.

Answer 2

I'm a bit late answering, but I make my own vanilla custard which is quite thick, and put some of the muffin mixture into the pan, then spoon a teaspoon of custard, or lemon curd then top up the rest of the muffin mix. Works well. You can make coconut lemon muffins (with lemon butter), or apple and custard muffins sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Banana muffins can have a tsp. of caramel Top N Fill in their centre, quite yummy.

Custard Recipe: 2 rounded tbsp.real corn flour, 2 tbsp. sugar, 9 flat tbsp. of full cream powdered milk, 1 large egg. Mix together in a microwave proof jug with 100ml cold water, then add a further 300 mls of water and mix well. Microwave on medium for 3-4 minutes, stir well, then repeat on medium for a further 3-4 minutes. Stir well. If the custard hasn't thickened by this point, just continue for a minute each time till it does. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. If the custard is lumpy, strain it through a sieve while its still hot. Leave it to cool, then use as above.

Banana Custard Make as above and slice 2 or 3 bananas into the mixture while the custard is still hot. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with dessicated coconut and nutmeg. Let cool. Scrumptious.