Lemon Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream Food

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Prepare the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with cupcake liners; set aside. Beat sugar and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add eggs 1 at a time, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla until combined.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition. Stop to scrape sides of bowl using a rubber spatula. Fold in lemon zest and juice.
• Scoop slightly rounded mounds of batter using a 2-inch cookie scoop, and drop into cupcake liners. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into centers of Cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in tray 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the Frosting: Mash raspberries in a small bowl using a fork. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl, and push on berries using back of a spoon to strain juice. Discard solids. (You should have about 1/2 cup raspberry juice.) Set juice aside. Beat powdered sugar and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and 1/4 cup raspberry juice. Beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add additional juice 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer Frosting to a piping bag with the tip cut off (about 1/2 inch).
• Pipe Frosting onto Cupcakes. Garnish with lemon slices and raspberries.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spray 24 cupcake pans with Pam, and line with paper liners.
• Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add milk and lemon juice.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture, one third at a time until just combined.
• Add batter to cupcake liners until 3/4 full.
• Bake 13-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes cool completely on a rack before frosting.
• Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and vanilla together.
• Blend in the sugar, a half cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add raspberry juice and mix.
• Add 2 tablespoons milk and mix.
• If you live in a dry climate, you may need to add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mixing after each addition, until light and fluffy.
• Cover until ready to use.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two muffin pans with 15 cupcake liners and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in each egg one at a time, then the vanilla extract, making sure to mix well after each ingredient. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, mix until well combined, then mix in the milk and sour cream until fully combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, making sure not to overmix the batter. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to turn the batter and make sure everything is well combined.
• Evenly distribute the batter between all 15 cupcake liners, making sure to only fill them a little over halfway full. Bake in batches at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
• Remove from the oven, then carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add in the raspberry preserves (or jam) and salt and continue mixing until fully combined.
• Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.

RASPBERRY LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12-count muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until creamed. About 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, beating on low speed after each addition. Batter will be thick. Beat in the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix this batter at any point. Spoon batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners. Bake for about 20 minutes. Check at 18 minutes, then again at 20. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Beat softened butter on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until completely smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running. Increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Add the raspberry preserves and beat until thick and creamy, about 2 full minutes. Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, is separating (due to the fruity jam) or looks too wet. And then add more salt to offset added sweetness.
• Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. I filled a few of the cupcakes with some frosting before topping with more frosting. That's optional, but recommended. It gives the cupcakes more raspberry flavor! To fill the cupcakes: using a sharp knife, cut a circle/hole into the center of the cupcake to create a little pocket about 3/4 inch deep. Place 1 spoonful (a little more than 1 teaspoon) of raspberry frosting inside and top with the piece of cupcake you removed to seal. See photos in this recipe for a visual.
• I used a Wilton #12 piping tip to frost the cupcakes. Top with fresh raspberry and a lemon slice. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day and then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

LEMON RASPBERRY CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line 24 standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• With an electric mixer with paddle attachment or stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down the sides as necessary.
• Beat in the lemon zest and the vanilla.
• Mix the lemon juice and the buttermilk together.
• Add the buttermilk/lemon mixture and the flour mixture to the batter in thirds. Pour 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/3 the buttermilk mixture, beating until just combined, then repeat.
• Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. It usually works out to right around 1/4 cup of filling per cup.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool completely.
• While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. With a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• With a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean length-wise, then scrape the seeds out with the tip of the knife. Add to the butter, and mix until incorporated.
• Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat on low until the powdered sugar is incorporated, about one minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 30 seconds or so.
• Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream, and mix on medium for about 30 seconds until incorporated.
• Increase the speed to medium high, and beat for about four minutes, scraping down as needed, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Now add the raspberry to the cupcakes. Using a cupcake corer, melon baller or teaspoon, remove a bit out of the top of the cake.
• Add about a teaspoon and a half of raspberry jam.
• Fill a pastry bag (or plastic zipper bag which is what I do in lieu of a pastry bag) with the buttercream and the tip of your choice, and frost!
• Plop the top with one fresh raspberry. Enjoy!
• They keep well at room temperature for a couple of days.

RASPBERRY LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use "4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy. Best used right away.