Lemon Cupcakes are so simple to make, but first a little about cupcakes. Cupcakes have been around for so long that they are more of a staple dessert treat that everyone seems to love. In recent times, the simple, perfect cupcake has become so increasingly popular that even your corner bakeries can sell out before they are even on the shelves.
Cupcakes popularity will see them decorating the dessert tables at all kinds of occasions and events, such as weddings, baby showers, book launches, and even football parties. They are increasingly versatile little cakes, whether they are of a more robust nature or are small and delicate, they can be created to suit any theme or occasion.
Eating these sweet, light cakes is always the most important part, closely followed by matching and creating flavours and colours, as well as decorating of the cupcakes in crazy, exotic, or classically elegant ways. Finding pre-made cupcakes today is simple, as most bakeries or supermarkets will have them. If you want some of the more adventurous flavourings, you will need to visit some speciality cupcake bakeries, or you can start experimenting at home. This is the one I highly recommend.
One simple Lemon cupcake recipe
I have one main recipe I use for all my cupcakes; however, I occasionally play around with other recipes such as this one. My Luscious Lemon Cupcake recipe is the one I bake for all of our special occasions. There are a few more ingredients, but the recipe is no more complex than my simple cupcake recipe, however, the results are still spectacular.
It is a cake you will not be unhappy with.
Luscious Lemon Cupcake Recipe
3 cups flour
½ Tbs. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups caster sugar
4 medium eggs
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
¾ cup full-fat milk
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Icing:
250gm (1 small pack) cream cheese
1 cup Icing (confectioner’s) sugar
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. candied lemon peel – pre-made or you can make your own
Preheat oven to 200c. Line 24 cups pan with cupcake liners.
Lemon Cupcake Method
In a large bowl, gently mix flour, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar. To this bowl add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add lemon zest, milk, and lemon juice. Mix through to combine.
Add in the flour mix and mix through until just combined (do not over mix – see this post for more information), scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are mixed in.
Fill each cupcake liner with ¼ cup of the batter (or one ice cream scoop).
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until your cupcakes are slightly golden and just undercooked, as this will give you a moist cake. Let cupcakes cool before icing. Makes about 24 cupcakes.
To make the Lemon Creamcheese Icing
Mix your room-temperature cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar together in a bowl until smooth.
Add lemon juice and candied lemon peel, and mix to combine.
Cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes then fill your piping bag and decorate your gorgeous little cupcakes.
Other Flavouring Ideas that will make your cupcakes sing
Cinnamon Orange – replace the lemon juice and zest with orange juice and zest. Add a small dash of cinnamon to the dry ingredients of the cupcake not in the icing, as this will be overpowering.
Raspberry – Replace the lemon juice and zest with about ½ cup of frozen raspberries. Add a few drops of vanilla to the icing to replace the candied lemon and lemon juice.
Chilli Choc – Great spicy variation. Replace all citrus with good cocoa powder and a small dash of mild chilli powder. Put the chilli into the cupcake itself and leave it out of the icing. Depending upon the heat of the chilli the icing will help to cool the burn. For the icing just add about a Tablespoon of cocoa and I little milk to combine.
*Always remember that your results may vary when using this recipe due to ingredients, moisture in the air, your oven, etc. Don’t worry, baking is all about following a recipe s well as experimenting. So go and have some fun and enjoy the experience of these luscious lemon cupcakes.
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