End of Summer Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

     Fall is my absolute favorite season, so to be honest I'm not too broken up about summer ending this year. It's been good: I've learned a lot, I've grown as a person, and I've made some great new friends. But now I'm ready for pumpkin-flavored everything, crisp fall mornings, crunchy leaves and weather that doesn't reach one hundred degrees. And rain! I'm so ready for drizzly mornings. 

 
    If you want the perfect way to say goodbye to the summer and hello to a new school year, I have the recipe for you. It's kind of a conglomeration of different recipes, and the end result is a lemon cupcake filled with tart lemon curd and topped with a stunning fresh raspberry buttercream. I like to pipe mine really high, as it is absolutely the star of the show. I had a lot of fresh raspberries from my garden this year, but if you don't have that luxury frozen or store-bought will work just fine. 

    Just look at these gorgeous berries!




    This was kind of a time-consuming project, so if you enjoy spending an afternoon baking this is one for you! If you want a shortcut however, the cupcakes would probably taste just as good with a store-bought lemon curd or even no filling at all. 

    As usual, I used my gluten-free flour mix I mentioned in this post. I think they taste just a good as regular cupcakes; this flour is pretty similar to fluffy cake flour. 

    

    

Enjoy the last couple weeks of summer! 

End of Summer Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes 

(Adapted from Baker by Nature and Two Peas and Their Pod)

Lemon Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes 

• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour or gluten-free flour mix + 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk (milk alternatives will also work fine)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of one lemon (about 3 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum if using. Set aside.

3. Combine sour cream or yogurt, milk, and eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside.

4. Combine the sugar and lemon zest and rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it is fragrant...this is part of what gives the cupcakes a great lemon taste! 

5. Put the lemon sugar in a large bowl with the melted butter and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and beat to combine. Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until the batter just comes together. Finally, add the yogurt/milk/egg mixture. Make sure not to overwork the batter! 

Homemade Lemon Curd
Makes approx. 1 1/2 cups

• 4 large lemons, zested and juiced (a little over 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

 1. As with the cupcakes, combine the lemon zest and sugar and rub the mixture together with your fingers until fragrant. 

2. Put all the ingredients together in a saucepan and heat over medium-low. You want to constantly stir the mixture and watch the clock. After about 12-15 minutes it will thicken: at this point, take it off the stove and pour the mixture into a glass jar or bowl. 

3. Put plastic wrap directly on the top of the lemon curd and let it come to room temperature. You can then put it in the fridge, where it will cool and continue to thicken. 

Fresh Raspberry Buttercream
Makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft...I recommend leaving it on your counter for a few hours
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk of your choice (more if needed)

 1. First, you're going to make the raspberry mixture. Heat the raspberries and the lemon juice over medium heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It will be jam-like in consistency. Put it in the fridge to cool; it must be fully cooled off before you make the buttercream.

2. Once the butter is soft and the jam is cool, put the butter in a large bowl and beat on medium-high until it is smooth. Add in the raspberry jam and beat to combine. Next, sift in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating after each addition. The frosting will probably be very thick at this point; add the milk or cream and salt. Continue to beat the buttercream until it is very light and fluffy. 

To Assemble: 
    I used a piping tip to gently remove the cores of the cupcakes after they had cooled, and then piped the lemon curd into the centers. Frost as desired, and decorate with fresh raspberries.