LEMON CUPCAKES

LEMON CUPCAKES with LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients:

A) Cupcakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest 
1/2 cup unsalted butter- softened
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

B) Simple Syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar

C) Lemon Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter +1/4 cup salted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Lemon slices or lemon drop candies and mint leaves for decorating (optional)

Method:
-Preheat oven to 170 Celsius.
-Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
-In a food processor, pulse together 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp caster sugar with lemon zest until finely ground, about 1 minute. 
-Whip together butter with lemon sugar mixture until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, then mix in egg whites one at a time, adding in vanilla with second egg white.
-In the liquid measuring cup used to measure buttermilk, whisk together buttermilk with lemon juice. 
-Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. 
-Divide batter among paper lined muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven about 18 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes. Meanwhile prepare simple syrup.

For the simple syrup:
-In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice with sugar until sugar has dissolved.
-Brush mixture over warm cupcakes.

For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- Whip butter with lemon zest on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy.
-Mix in 1 cup icing sugar, then blend in lemon juice, cream, vanilla essence and lemon extract. 
- Add remaining 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, then whip mixture until very fluffy, about 4 - 5 minutes longer.


by Lya Uzir Creative Living