Grapefruit curd and grapefruit buttercream frosting pair beautifully with your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. They bring a bright, winter-citrus twist to rich chocolate desserts.
Earlier this month I attended “A Sweet Taste of Destination Kohler” at The Social Table in Chicago, a charming venue and a lovely evening of pastry and chocolate.
You might remember my visit to the Kohler Food and Wine Experience last fall — this event felt like a compact version of those delightful experiences brought right to the city.
A small group of Chicago bloggers and I enjoyed an intimate, interactive session with Destination Kohler’s award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Josh Johnson and Head Chocolatier Anette Righi DeFendi.
It was a fun night filled with chocolate, a bit of wine, and plenty of inspiration. We helped Chef Josh prepare a dessert; I intended to share his exact recipe here but couldn’t track down one of the components, so I created a cupcake inspired by what we made instead.
After the dessert demo, Anette guided us through three chocolate and beverage pairings. Her selections were thoughtful and memorable — I even noted the names of a few beverages to try again at home. A tawny port stood out as a favorite and is now on my shopping list.
If you’re interested in Kohler’s chocolate offerings, consider attending the In Celebration of Chocolate event this weekend, which features notable pastry chefs and chocolatiers demonstrating techniques, pairings, and creative treats.
Demonstrations at that event typically include assembling dark chocolate s’mores parfaits, crafting chocolate sculptures, and hands-on sessions that reveal the secrets behind fine chocolate work.
Of course, you can also order Kohler chocolates if you want to enjoy them at home.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Grapefruit Curd and Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
Unable to reproduce Chef Josh’s exact recipe, I focused on making chocolate cupcakes and built a filling and frosting inspired by the flavors we experienced. Baking is a great remedy for recipe-related frustrations.
The chocolate cupcakes I used are moist and reliable. I followed a chocolate cake recipe from King Arthur Flour precisely, which yields 24 cupcakes, so I won’t repeat that recipe here.
The stars of these cupcakes are the grapefruit curd and the grapefruit buttercream frosting. Grapefruit’s tangy, floral notes balance chocolate’s richness, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite citrus flavors to bake with.
Plan your prep so you make the grapefruit curd first. While the curd cools and sets, bake the cupcakes. Since cupcakes should be completely cool before frosting, use that waiting time to relax — watch a movie, take a walk, or tidy up the kitchen.
When everything is cooled and set, whip up the grapefruit buttercream and assemble the cupcakes. Core the center of each cooled cupcake with a small spoon or knife, spoon in the grapefruit curd, then pipe the buttercream over and around the filling to seal it in.
Looking for more cupcake recipes?
Try these recipes for more flavor ideas and inspiration.
- Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Grapefruit Curd and Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
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Ingredients
Grapefruit Curd
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons grapefruit zest
- 32 ounces powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons grapefruit juice
Instructions
Grapefruit Curd
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs and yolks and beat for 1 minute. Add the grapefruit juice; the mixture may look curdled at first.
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Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until the texture smooths. Increase to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes until thickened. Do not boil.
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Remove from heat and stir in the grapefruit zest. Press plastic wrap directly onto the curd’s surface and chill until set and thickened.
Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
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Beat the butter and grapefruit zest at medium speed until creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with grapefruit juice, and beat at low speed until smooth and spreadable.