Lemon has always been on my top 5 favorite flavors. I think I get that from my Mom. She got me started on my love of everything lemon. It doesn't matter if it's pie, cake, cookies, you name it if it's lemon I love it. So I thought I would share a recipe I recently tried that was a HUGE hit with my co-workers and friends.
Lemon Cupcakes:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well.
- Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick).
- Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Raspberry Puree:
1 – 12 oz bags of frozen raspberries
½ cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
· Thaw the raspberries in large fine meshed strainer suspended over a large bowl. (This may take a while)
· Once berries have completely thawed, force the juice from the berries by gently pressing the berries with the back of a large spoon. All that should remain in the strainer is the raspberry seeds.
· Throw away the seeds. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar to the remaining raspberry pulp. (For extra flavor you may add a little raspberry liquor)
Store covered in the refrigerator up to a week, or freeze up to a year.
Makes approximately 1 3/4 cups
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tbs lemon juice
4 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 to 10 cups confectioners' sugar
- Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon rind, and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy
- Add confectioners' sugar in 2 additions. Beat until creamy
- Add more icing sugar or juice as needed for easy spreading or piping
Assembly:
- Once your cupcakes are completely cooled scoop a small section from the center of the cupcake. If you have a cupcake corer - great - if not you can use an apple corer, melon baller, or just a spoon
- Fill hollowed out portion of your cupcake with raspberry puree. Be sure not to over fill or this will make icing your cupcakes difficult and messy
- Spread or pipe your desired amount of lemon cream cheese icing onto the cupcake
- If available, garnish with a fresh raspberry and/or sugared lemon peel
Happy Baking!
No comments:
Post a Comment