If something sweet with the tang of lemon appeals to you, make a batch of my lemon cupcakes. They are not difficult to make and are something you could serve during Easter or other spring occasion.
The batter for the cupcakes is simple to make: combine the dry ingredients, add the wet ones, and mix to combine. After baking the cupcakes and cooling them, you can set them on your serving tray, wrap them and keep them at room temperature for up to a day until ready to top with their lemony icing.
The icing is made by beating together butter, icing sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until lightened and well-combined. You can simply spread and swirl some of the icing on each cupcake, or, for a more fanciful look, pipe it on with using a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
If the 12 cupcakes the recipe yields are too many for you, store some of them away in a tight-sealing container and freeze, to thaw and enjoy the next time you fancy some lemon cupcakes.
Lemon Cupcakes
Moist, sweet and lemony cupcakes topped with a buttery, lemon-flavoured icing.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup homo or 2 per cent milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
For the icing
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups icing sugar
• small lemon slices and/or unsprayed, edible flowers, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with large paper liners (do not use extralarge ones). To make cupcake batter, place flour, granulated sugar, 2 tsp lemon zest, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix to combine (see Eric’s options).
Add the 1/2 cup lemon juice, milk, egg and melted butter, and beat on low to medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowls and beat a few seconds more.
Divide the batter between the paper cups, filling each one about three-quarters full. Bake 20 minutes, or until a cupcake springs back when touched in the very centre. Cool cupcakes in the pan 20 minutes, and then lift them out of the pan and on to a cooling rack. Cool cupcakes to room temperature, and then set on a serving tray.
To make icing, place the 1 cup butter, 1 tsp lemon zest, 3 Tbsp lemon juice and icing sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until thoroughly combined and lightened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat a few seconds more.
Generously pipe or spread the icing on the cupcakes and top each one with a small lemon slice. Refrigerate cupcakes, an hour or so, to set the icing, and then tent with plastic wrap until ready to enjoy. If garnishing each cup with an unsprayed, edible flower, such as a pansy, do so just before serving.
Note: If you have any leftover icing, transfer to a container and freeze for another time.
Eric’s options: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you could make the batter and icing in a bowl with an electric hand-held mixer.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
