Fresh Lemon Cupcakes

​Christine Vienna

Ingredients

​1 ⅔ cups Cake flour

1 cup Granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tbsp Fresh lemon zest

¾ cup Salted butter (room temperature)

2 Large eggs

½ cup Full-fat sour cream (room temperature)

¼ cup Whole milk (room temperature)

¼ cup Fresh lemon juice

​Instructions

​1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

​2. Place the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest into a large mixing bowl.

​3. Use your fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until the sugar is fragrant and looks like wet sand.

​4. Add the room temperature butter to the lemon sugar and cream them together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

​5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the fresh lemon juice.

​6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

​7. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk or sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

​8. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter.

​9. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.

​10. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

​11. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Christine Vienna Bakes

Prep time: 15 mins | Yield: Frosts 12 to 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

8 oz Cream cheese (full-fat, room temperature)

1 cup Salted butter (room temperature)

4 1/2 cups Confectioner’s sugar

2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

1 tbsp Lemon zest (for garnish, optional)

​Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, salt and salted butter together until the mixture is smooth and completely free of lumps.

2. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until combined to avoid a "sugar cloud."

3. Pour in the fresh lemon juice and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and holds its shape.

4. Pipe on cooled cupcakes.

5. If using, sprinkle the lemon zest on top of your frosted cupcakes.