Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Happy Su.....I mean Monday!  I made some delicious strawberry lemonade cupcakes yesterday to take to a picnic lunch with some friends.  As I was taking pictures of the cupcakes, I realized that I haven't posted any cupcakes recipes yet!  I was really surprised because I LOVE to make cupcakes!  Somehow they just always get eaten before I can get any shots of them!  

This is my go-to cupcake recipe because it is so easy to prepare and can be customized to make many different flavors.  Last week, I added lime zest and lime juice and frosted the cupcakes with tequila buttercream and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt to make a fabulous margarita cupcake for Mexican night.

Basically, you just throw everything in the mixer bowl together....no creaming the butter and sugar first or adding the flour and milk alternately.  Just put everything in the bowl.

And mix it on low speed for about 15 seconds.

It will look thick and lumpy.....but don't despair, you'll end up with a fluffy batter eventually....

Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure there isn't any remaining streaks of flour or chunks of butter.  Then beat the mixture on medium-high for about 30 seconds.  The batter will become smooth, satiny, and fluffy.  It looks so delicious, I've actually had people ask if its frosting!

Then fill your cupcakes liners.  The recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes, so you can just divide the batter evenly and you don't have to worry about them overflowing during baking.

After the cupcakes has cooled, I frosted them with a fresh strawberry buttercream...delish! 

These cupcakes are definitely the perfect spring and summer treat....a moist lemony cupcake speckled with fresh lemon zest, topped with swirls of sweet strawberry buttercream....Mmmm....  

Happy baking!

Lemonade Cupcakes

1 ½ cups cake flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

Zest of one lemon

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sour cream

1 egg , at room temperature

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

Juice of one lemon

Line 12 muffin cups with cupcakes liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in bowl of standing mixer.  Add in butter, sour cream, egg, egg yolks, and lemon juice.  Beat at low speed until combined, about 15 seconds.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 30 seconds.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners.  Bake until just starting to turn light gold or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.  Frost as desired.