Dad's favourite lemon cupcakes

17 Jun

I made these lemon cupcakes a few months ago for a friend's dinner party. Since then my dad has repeatedly asked me to bake them again. Today being Father's day and all that, I was happy to oblige !

They really are easy peasy. The one secret is to take your butter out a few hours before making this recipe. You want it to be creamy and fluffy. Not hard and then melted.

This recipe is really a base and could be adapted in many different ways! (If you take off the lemon juice and zest and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, you could have them with various different toppings or if you add rose water, chopped white chocolate, cocoa powder....)

So here's how it goes...

You will need : (I will add the equivalent in grams to save you the headache)

3 eggs
1 cup of butter, softened (the famous secret) // 200 grams
1 cup of caster sugar // 200 grams
1/2 cup of milk // 100 ml
1 and 1/2 cups of self-raising flour // 190 grams
The zest and juice of 2 organic lemons

Note that I am a little homesick having left England. I just had to...

Preheat your oven at 160°C. Line all your cupcake papers in your cupcake pan!
In a bowl or even better in your Kitchen Aid lightly beat your butter and sugar until combined and fluffy!
In another bowl beat your eggs, milk and lemon juice together.
Add your lemon zest to your butter/sugar mixture.
Then alternate adding the egg/milk/lemon mixture and the flour to your butter/sugar mixture until it's all combined. Don't over beat/whisk it.
Next, this is VERY important. Stick your finger in the bowl. Take it out, and lick!
Now.. that's done. You are a happy baker and can proceed to continue.
Spoon your batter in your cupcake papers.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on how your oven behaves! (they need to be golden and cooked through!)
When they're cooked. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool completely. (if you feel a little naughty you can eat the 'ugly' one. You know... there's always one that doesn't look like any of them... that one. Take it. Eat it.)

My dad likes them just like this. Very simple with nothing added.

I do agree that sometimes a cupcake is just as nice without it's topping. But if you feel a little adventurous you could make a lemon glazing for those babies.

Just combine the zest and juice of one lemon to 200 g (more or less) of icing sugar. Pour it on top of each cupcakes when completely cooled down.