Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

So today is supposed to be Photo Friday, but I needed an excuse to share these YUMMY cupcakes. So, I am renaming it Food Friday. Unless of course I eat too many than I might have to call it Fat Friday. Well, whatever you want to call it, these are great.

My 14 year-old niece loves to bake and cupcakes are her thing! She is amazing; never from a box, she creates delicousness.  Sometimes she creates her own and sometimes she uses recipes she finds from various sources. Well, recently she made these. They were like eating Spring.

If you are a baker, you may want to try them. Well, that, or you could just hire my neice to make them for you. I, on the other hand, will smile and beg a plead until she makes some more. :)


Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes from
http://lexslifeasanewwife.blogspot.com/2012/03/raspberry-lemon-cupcakes.html

 

 

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes or 55 minis

Source: My Baking Addiction

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

To Make The Cake:
1. Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.

4. Bake for 18-22 minutes for regular size or 10-12 minutes for minis, until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Cool on wire rack.

For the Raspberry Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberries (blended into a puree and pushed through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds)
1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1/2 cup shortening*
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of raspberry extract*
1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
2-4 Tablespoons very cold milk (add until you reach desired consistency)

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add extracts and raspberry puree and combine well.

2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one Tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.

Notes:
*If you don’t have raspberry extract, simply add a little bit more raspberry puree until you reach your preferred level of raspberry flavor. If you add more puree, cut back on the milk.

*If you do not like to use shortening, simply sub in butter. The frosting will not be as structurally sound, but will taste just as delicious.


Please visit the blog this recipe came from... http://lexslifeasanewwife.blogspot.com/2012/03/raspberry-lemon-cupcakes.html  
I do not know her or anything, I just want to help out the fellow blogger who created the recipes for such great treats!