Lemon Butterfly Cupcakes Recipes

LEMON CURD BUTTERFLY CAKES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5/375F/190°C.
• You will need a 12-cup muffin tin lined with cupcake baking cases.
• To make the cakes, sift the flour and salt in a bowl.
• Then add in the rest of the ingredients in bowl and beat until absolutely smooth - 1-2 minutes.
• Then fill prepared muffin tin with the mixture and tap the tin two or three times to settle the cake mix.
• Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cakes are well risen and golden.
• Remove the cakes from the tin and transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
• To make the lemon curd, place the grated lemon rind and sugar in a bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the eggs, then pour the mixture over the sugar.
• Add the butter cut into small pieces, and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
• Stir frequently till thickened - for about 20 minutes.
• Cool the curd before using it for the filling (these can be stored in a clean dry jar with a screw-top lid, refrigerated and used within a week).
• To assemble the cake, take a small sharp knife and cut the top off each at an angle in a circle about ½ inch (1 cm) from the edge of the cake so that you remove a cone-shaped round, leaving a cavity in the centre.
• Cut the round in half, top to bottom, and set aside.
• Now fill the cavity of each cake with the lemon curd then sit the two cone-shaped pieces of cake on top like butterfly wings.
• Dust with icing sugar to serve.

LEMON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.
• Sift the self-rising flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, one third at a time, alternating with half the milk and half the lemon juice after each of the first 2 additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not over mix.
• Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
• To make the icing, beat the cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer set on Low until the cream begins to thicken. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to High, and beat until the icing forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Spread on the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.

LEMON BUTTERMILK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a standard-sized muffin tin with cupcake papers.
• Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in lemon zest, juice, and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Mix until no dry flour remains.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared cups. Don't overfill, each cup should be no more than 2/3 full, or about 3 tablespoons each. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes from tin and allow to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to prepare glaze, sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Slowly add lemon juice and whisk until smooth; add 1 to 2 drops of food coloring if desired. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes in glaze, then quickly flip and place on wire rack. Sprinkle with nonpareils or sugar pearls, if desired. Glazed cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made, although unglazed cupcakes will keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.