Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Perfect Lemon Cupcakes

I know that is a big claim to make, but to me these are perfect. Just the right amount of lemon, very fluffy light cake, and a lemon buttercream I could eat be the spoonful.



We have a back to school cupcake tradition in our house. This year I picked these lemon cupcakes. Everyone in my house is a lemon fan. My girls eat lemon slices. I knew lemon was the way to go this year. And this recipe didn't disappoint. The girls were thrilled.

I will say there was not enough frosting for all the cupcakes. However, I did frost them tall and used a lot of the buttercream. And my assistant and I had to have a couple spoonfuls to make certain it was ok... But, I was able to freeze 4 cupcakes. I made a half batch of the frosting and served them when my younger daughter had her first day a week later. They froze really well and tasted just as good the second time.

If you've never zested a lemon, and don't have a zester its no problem. Start by washing the lemon. Set a grater on a cutting board if you have a box grater or hold a flat grater at an angle. Scrape the lemon on the grater making sure you just get the peel and not the pith layer underneath. Turn the lemon slightly after each time you grate.



This recipe came from Shugarysweets blog.

Lemon Cupcakes

5 egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 lemons, zested
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. In a small bowl mix egg whites, 1/4 cup buttermilk, and lemon zest. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar until creamy at least 2 to 3 minutes.



3. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add egg white mixture. Add remaining buttermilk.
4. Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 15 minutes at 350.
5. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.


Lemon Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp heavy cream

1. Beat butter for 3 to 5 minutes until pale in color.
2. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice (about 2 Tbsp), and cream. Beat 3 to 5 minutes until fluffy.
3. Frost cupcakes. I used a 1M tip.