Lemon Cupcakes

lemon cupcake

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Almost too pretty to eat. ALMOST.
Lemon cupcakes remind me of spring.
Are you suffering from cabin fever?
Perhaps you are over the cold weather.
Tired of the heavy baked goods and need to lighten things up a bit??
Well here ya go. A deliciously light lemon cupcake with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 12 cupcakes
Printer Friendly Version
Recipe from My Baking Addiction

For the Cake
1 cup + 2 Tbsp cake flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
2 large egg whites

3/4 cups sugar

lemon zest from two lemons

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by
spraying with non stick spray or using cupcake liners.

To Make The Cake:
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 drop of lemon extract
Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Finally mix in vanilla and lemon juice.

Comments

  1. Test test..where did all my comments go?

  2. Oooh, these look and sound delicious! I'm on a lemon kick lately and just can't get enough.

  3. the yellow sprinkles on top really make these exquisite, leslie–lovely work!

  4. These cupcakes look incredible… we'd love to have you feature some of your dishes at kitchenartistry.com

  5. Chef Fresco says:

    Yum!! These look delicious!! So creamy!

  6. I feel like I missed these, well, here I am now and as much as I am a true blue chocolate lover, these look so good. You are da queen of frosting. 😉

  7. Congrats on being chosen a featured blogger by Foodie Blogroll!

  8. Love any dessert with lemon – these cupcakes look amazing!

  9. jennifer@onceuponachef.com says:

    70 degrees in DC today…lemon cupcakes feel like spring! Yum.

  10. Lemon, buttermilk, cream cheese.. mmmm.. all the good things in life 🙂

  11. I love anything sweet made with lemon, these look delish!

  12. Those ARE gorgeous! I love your blog and will be adding it to my blogroll on Yummy Mummy http://www.YummyMummyKitchen.com
    Thanks,
    Your newest follower.

  13. How are you and your family not a million pounds overweight with all of these amazing treats you make? These look delightful, like they could almost float in mid air.

  14. These are almost too pretty to eat! I love lemon everything. Your frosting looks so silky and yummy and I love how it is piped like a rose.

  15. Random musings of a Cluttered Kitchen says:

    I'm drooling all over the place just looking at these! I'll have to tuck this one away for later! 🙂