Lemon Cupcakes
Fresh lemon-flavored cupcakes, ideal for weddings and baptism ceremonies, and delicious when paired with lemon buttercream or candied lemon slices.
Ingredients
unsalted butter (room temperature)
110 g
fine granulated sugar (golden preferred)
225 g
eggs (free-range or organic)
2 large
self-rising flour (sifted)
150 g
all-purpose flour (sifted)
125 g
semi-skimmed milk (room temperature)
90 ml
fresh lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
2 tbsp
sour cream
1 tbsp
lemon zest (approximately 1 tsp needed)
1 lemon
Instructions
1
Preparation and Preheat
Preheat oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with appropriately sized cupcake liners.
2
Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. This takes 3-5 minutes with an electric hand mixer.
3
Add Eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, beating for several minutes after each addition.
4
Mix Flours and Liquids
Mix the two flours together in a separate bowl. Combine the milk, lemon juice, and sour cream in a measuring jug. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir to combine. Add one-third of the milk mixture and stir. Repeat these steps until all flour and milk mixtures are incorporated. Add the lemon zest when adding the final third of the flour. If the mixture starts to curdle: simply add one more tablespoon of all-purpose flour and stir to combine.
5
Fill and Bake
Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until slightly risen and golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake to test – it should come out completely clean.
6
Cool and Decorate
Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Once completely cool, you can decorate with lemon buttercream (see page 31) and top with candied lemon slices or a light sprinkle of fine lemon zest.
