Lemon Raspberry Surprise

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!