The Summer may be a distant memory, or if you live where I do, it never really happened in the first place. So I decided to re-create summer in the kitchen! These lemon and raspberry cupcakes are the most lemony, raspberry(y?) cupcakes you’ll ever have. Trust me. They are light, and fluffy, and have just the right amount of lemon tang. Whenever these are around, they don’t last long!
The fresh raspberries and lemon do all the talking here.
There is no artificial food coloring or flavoring in these babies, just a full-on dose of zinginess and sweetness.
I have always had a bit of an obsession with citrus, so a lemon cupcake that makes your lips pursed just the right amount is, to me, the perfect cake.
This batter is smooth and more runny than thick.
I use an ice cream scoop to get equal amounts into the cups – the cases should be no more than 1/2 – 2/3 full with batter, or they will overflow.
The cupcakes are drizzled with the world’s easiest lemon syrup, taking advantage of that crucial just-warm-from-the-oven stage, allowing them to soak up every drop of lemony flavor and stay moist.
I really mean it when I say these cupcakes are full of flavor!
To top off this sticky cake is the most fresh raspberry frosting ever.
The only flavor and color come straight from raspberries, with just a touch of cream cheese for extra smoothness.
I piped these ones in a simple traditional swirl but just smoothed on with a knife would work well.
In terms of decoration, I kept it simple with just a few fresh raspberries and a mint leaf for some color, but you can get creative – add some lemon slices or go crazy with sprinkles if you want!
Let me know if you have a go at making these and share the results with me!
Go on… take a bite
Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 2.8 oz unsalted butter
- 9.8 oz caster sugar
- 8.4 oz all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 240 ml whole milk
- 1 lemon zest
Lemon Syrup
- 1 lemon juice
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
Buttercream
- 2.8 oz butter softened
- 5.2 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 25.75 oz icing sugar
- 3 tbsp raspberry puree
- mint leaves optional for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 338⁰F (170⁰C) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with large cupcake liners or muffin liners.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. This should take around 2 minutes in a stand mixer or with an electric handheld mixer.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time a mix thoroughly until fully combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl after each addition to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated.
- In another bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly to ensure there is an even distribution of ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture, alternating with milk until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl after each addition. Do not over-mix at this stage, and if you are using a standing mixer, keep it on a low speed. Stir in the lemon zest at the end.
- Fill the cupcake or muffin liners between 1/2 – 2/3 full. Any more and the cakes will overflow.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the tops of the cakes are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.
- While the cupcakes are baking, juice 1 lemon and add to a small saucepan. Add 2 tbsp caster sugar to the lemon juice and cook on a low to medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cook for a further 1 minute and pour into a small bowl to cool. When the cupcakes are just out of the oven and still in the muffin tray, use a cocktail stick or kebab stick to make several holes in the cupcakes and spoon 1 tsp of syrup onto the cake. Doing this while the cupcakes are still hot allows them to absorb the syrup and infuse without becoming soggy.
- To make the buttercream, put the butter in a stand alone mixer and beat on high speed for a good 4-5 minutes. While this is beating, press enough raspberries through a sieve to create 2-3 Tablespoons of puree. Once the butter is looking very pale, gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. At this stage the mixture will be powdery but don’t panic! Next add the cream cheese and mix on high speed for a further 1 minute. Finally add 2-3 tablespoons of the raspberry puree you made until you have a light buttercream with a pipeable consistency. This will be when it is firm but smooth. It should hold its shape when you run a spoon through it, but still be soft.
- To assemble the cupcakes, pipe or spoon on the buttercream however you like and add some fresh raspberries and mint leaves for decoration. Of course this is optional, so get creative in how you decorate them! I’d love to see some pictures of your cupcakes so let me know in the comments if you have a go at making them!
I don’t know your measurements…..as 80 g unsalted butter, 280 g sugar, 240 g flour…. And what temp for oven??
The “g” means grams (part of the metric measuring system) and the C for the oven means Celsius (in the UK we work in C not F). Hope that helps :)