LOLA’s Lemon cupcake is sweet and tangy with a moist, light texture. It is made using fresh lemon zest in both the cake and buttercream. The distinctive sour lemon taste makes this a refreshing, mouthwatering citrus treat. For the best flavour, make sure your lemons are fragrant, with brightly coloured yellow skins.
muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
Makes 12
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of/baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.
Gently fold in half the sifted dry ingredients with a large, metal spoon, then half the milk. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and milk.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the lemon buttercream.
Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Sift half the sugar into the bowl, beating until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar and beat on low speed. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.
Slowly pour in the milk and when it is mixed in, beat for 3–5 minutes on a higher speed.
Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Decorate with a cluster of yellow sugar crystals.
