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[donotprint]The combination of raspberries and lemons epitomizes summer in my book. There is sweet simplicity about this flavor duo that just works together to form some seriously stunning desserts.
When I was asked to help bake a few sweet treats for our end of the year luncheon at work, I thought this blend of fruit would be the perfect way to kick off our summer vacation.
I like making cupcakes for functions because they have such a high level of portability. They allow people to grab one and go about their day while savoring something delicious. The tulip cupcake/muffin wrappers I baked them in added a little level of uniqueness to a very delicious cupcake.
People were intrigued my these little yellow paper wrappers and thought I made them myself. I am betting they can be easily replicated with parchment paper, but I picked mine up at the local cake decorating store.
For the cupcakes, I used my favorite cake recipe from Dorie Greenspan and topped them with a big swirl of raspberry buttercream. Beware…this frosting may force you to lick the bowl, spoon, beaters, spatula and maybe even your fingers! Yeah, it’s that good, so don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
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Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
adapted from Dorie Greenspan | makes approximately 24 cupcakes
For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray
To Make The Cake:
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack.
For the Raspberry Buttercream
Ingredients
1/2 cup raspberries (blended into a puree and pushed through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds)
1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1/2 cup shortening*
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of raspberry extract*
1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
2-4 tablespoons very cold milk (add until you reach desired consistency)
Directions
1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add extracts and raspberry puree and combine well.
2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.
Notes:
*If you don’t have raspberry extract, simply add a little bit more raspberry puree until you reach your preferred level of raspberry flavor. If you add more puree, cut back on the milk.
*If you do not like to use shortening, simply sub in butter. The frosting will not be as structurally sound, but will taste just as delicious.
In the Buttercream recipe, you list 1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x). What does the powdered sugar, 10x mean?
Sharon-
Confectioners’ sugar can also be found labeled as “powdered sugar 10x” which is why I gave the alternate name for it in parenthesis. Hope this clarifies your question.
-Jamie
I love these original shape cupcakes. They don’t look like small cakes but like gourmet ice creams!
What tip did you use to frost your cupcakes? I use a standard M1 tip and I am bored of that.
I just made these and wow they are good! I’m usually not a fan of fruit cupcakes, but I am converted. Opens the cupcake world right up! I was unable to find raspberry extract so just used a whole 6 oz of raspberries, yummy! I didn’t have to add any milk either. I filled my pastry bag and let sit in the fridge for a few minutes while the cupcakes cooled, piped perfectly! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Does anyone know how to make this gluten free? i want to make them for a friend that cant have gluten?!?! a reply soon would be great!
These cupcakes are AMAZING!!! I LOVE your website!!
I don’t really like the texture of zest in my foods, is it possible to use a less amount of the zest and still have the desired taste?
I highlighted these cupcakes on my little blog at http://wadelmat.blogspot.com/ Thanks for sharing!
Okay – so these are the prettiest cutest cupcakes I have ever seen. So, they inspired me to try my hand at decorating cupcakes. But first, I signed up for the local cake beginner decorating class. My normal frosting is to eat it from a can with a spoon. So here I am looking for those super cute yellow wrappers, thinking I am so going to impress my in-laws with this cute little cupcake for a snack. But when trying to find them on-line everyone said they don’t bake well, absorb the oil, turn brown in the oven yada-yada-yada. So where is the best place to find those little yellow papers and what is your trick to making them so beautiful?
Joey-
The definitely show oil marks, but the cupcake recipe that I used does not give off a lot of oil, so I think that’s why they worked so well with this recipe. I honestly don’t remember where I bought them, but if you google “yellow tulip baking cups” you should be able to find them pretty easily. Best of luck to you!
–Jamie
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE these cupcakes! so moist and delicious. the frosting melted a little bit but i just put it in the fridge so they could set. i am TOTALLY making these again!!! so light and fresh. mmmmmmm amazing :)