Name: Lemon cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Makes 12
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 140g unsalted butter softened; 100g caster sugar; zest ½ lemon; 2 large eggs lightly beaten; 140g self-raising flour; 85g butter softened; 175g icing sugar; zest and juice ½ lemon; sprinkles or sweets to decorate

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Lemon cupcakes

Lemon cupcakes

Good Food member

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Makes 12

Easy

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.34 ratingsRate

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Make these cute lemon cupcakes by Good Food member Lily for a bake sale with the kids or afternoon snack. Decorate with lemon buttercream and some colourful sweets

Freezable (Freeze un-iced)

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Test Kitchen tips for the perfect lemon cupcakes:

Although the smell of freshly baked cupcakes is tempting, you should give them plenty of time to cool completely before decorating. It keeps the icing smooth and prevents it from melting into the sponge.
For an extra burst of lemon, we brush the warm cupcakes with a little sweetened lemon juice (from the other half of the lemon used for icing) before icing them. It adds even more citrus flavour and helps keep the sponge moist.
If you want to make these look more grown-up, decorate them with a little extra lemon zest, thin strips of candied lemon peel or a sprinkle of edible flowers.
These cupcakes freeze well without the icing, so you can bake them ahead of time. Once they've thawed, simply decorate them on the day you're serving them for the freshest finish.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

140g unsalted butter

softened
100g caster sugar
zest ½ lemon
2 large eggs

lightly beaten
140g self-raising flour

For the butter cream icing

85g butter

softened
175g icing sugar
zest and juice ½ lemon
sprinkles or sweets

to decorate

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal289
fat17g
saturates10g
carbs34g
sugars25g
fibre0g
protein2g
salt0.24g

low

Method

step 1

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole bun tin with fairy cake cases. Beat the butter and sugar in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until it is really soft, then add the lemon zest. slowly stir in the eggs, then fold in the flour until it is all combined. Use two teaspoons to divide the mixture between the cake cases. Bake for 18-20 mins until the cakes are golden and springy when you touch them. Cool the cakes on a wire rack.
step 2

While you wait for the cakes to cool, make the butter cream icing. Beat the butter until it is really soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, lemon zest and juice until it is thick and yummy. Spread the butter cream on top of the cakes with the back of a spoon, then decorate with sprinkles or sweeties.

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Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2011

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A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.34 ratings

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