Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 
I decided to bake some sweets for my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary last week. This is partly because I had no idea what to get them, partly because I love baking, and partly because my sister loves cupcakes. To spare my brother-in-law from his least favorite dessert flavor, anything lemony, I made him a chocolate cake, but the lemon cupcakes turned out better. Actually, they turned out much, much better. The cake was a crumbly disaster, with the only redeeming factor being the frosting, so I was relieved I made cupcakes as well.

These cupcakes are great and adorable. They're moist, and light, and the cream cheese frosting is a perfect way to top them off. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first made these as I'd never tried the recipe before, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. I love lemon desserts to begin with, so finding another good lemon recipe is always a plus. These cupcakes will remain moist for a few days if you want to prepare them ahead of time, just make sure to keep them covered.

Adapted from Ruth Ann Stelfox and My Baking Addiction
Makes about 35 cupcakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
juice of 1 lemon (3 generous tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

For the Frosting:
2 8 ounce (225 gram) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 pounds powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
juice of 1 lemon


For the Cupcakes:

Preheat your over to 350ºF/176ºC. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating with the sour cream.

Fill muffin tin liners with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool fully before frosting.


For the Frosting:

In a blender or food processor, combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix. Pin It Now!