Lemon Honey Cupcakes

By junerodgers

Ingredients

• Cupcakes
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 T grated lemon zest
• 4 T lemon juice
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Lemon-Honey Frosting
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 T grated lemon zest
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 7 to 8 tsp lemon juice
• Few drops yellow food color
• Bumblebee
• Tootsie Roll
• Two pieces of string
• Yellow peanut M&M
• Brown food marker
• Clear spice drop candies
• Small cookie cutter

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sour cream, milk, lemon zest and juice in a small bowl until well mixed.

3. Beat butter, honey and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in
eggs, one at a time, until blended.

4. With mixer on low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, then the sour cream mixture. Beat in remaining flour mixture until just combined.

5. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

6. Frosting: Beat butter, honey and lemon zest in large bowl with an electric mixer until creamed, about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar until blended. Beat in lemon juice and a few drops food color until mixture is fluffy and pale yellow.

7. Spoon into a large ziptop freezer bag, snip off one corner and pipe onto cupcakes, or just spread frosting onto cupcakes.

To make the bumblebee: Tear off a piece of a Tootsie Roll and roll between the palms of your hands to make a thin string. Wrap two pieces of string around a yellow Peanut M&M for body of bee. Using a brown food marker, draw two dots for eyes. To make wings, roll out clear spice drop candies and cut out a 1⁄2-in. circle using a small cookie cutter. Cut circle in half; attach each half by pressing into the front band of Tootsie Roll on the body of the bee.