Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- zest from one lemon
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- yellow food coloring as needed
- Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- zest from one lemon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Preparation
Step 1
Cupcakes:
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in small mixing bowl. Beat eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
In medium-large bowl, rub lemon zest and sugar together until the sugar is a uniform pale yellow and feels damp. Add butter, vanilla extract, and lemon extract, and beat until smooth.
Add 1/3 flour mixture, beat well. Add 1/2 wet mixture, beat well. + 1/3 flour. Beat. +1/2 wet. Beat. +1/3 flour. Mix until just combined. Gently stir in food coloring until you reach your desired yellow.
Fill regular cupcake liners. Bake regular cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, and mini cupcakes for 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees F. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Let cool for five minutes in pan then remove to cool completely.
Frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and mix well.
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until frosting is thick enough that when you make a swirl with your knife or spoon, the curl holds up for a few minutes (add additional sugar if necessary). If you find that the frosting isn’t thick enough when you pipe or spread it, simply chill for about five minutes and frost.