glazed lemon cupcakes

I love lemon flavoring. There used to be a lemon-flavored jolly rancher, and it was my favorite. Unfortunately, it was probably the least popular flavor, and it got replaced by blue raspberry. So I decided that I would make lemon cupcakes for my 23rd birthday. This recipe is not that hard, and it's tasty. It has a definite lemon kick.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, or plain low-fat yogurt (I used the buttermilk)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated, plus juice, plus 2 tablespoons more lemon juice for the glaze

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. The original instructions say to butter and flour the muffin tin, but I used a flour spray and sprinkled on a little flour for good measure.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.

5. With an electric mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. With the mixer on a low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the buttermilk mixture.

7. Divide evenly among muffin cups. If your using regular sized muffin tins, bake around 15-20 minutes. The original recipe used jumbo muffin tins and said 20-25 minutes.

8. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then cool completely on a rack.

9. Set rack over wax paper. In a small bowl, stir confectioners' sugar with remaining lemon juice until smooth. To get it to more of a thick glaze consistency, I added a couple of tablespoons of milk. It didn't seem to drip down the sides without the milk. Also, it mellowed out the lemon kick of the glaze. Once you pour the glaze on, kind of spread it to the edges, and then let it drip down the sides.

** This recipe is originally from MarthaStewart.com **

snickerdoodle cupcakes

I have a semi-quest to find the tastiest cupcake recipe. Snickerdoodle cookies are one of my favorites; however, the cupcake version didn't quite measure up. Don't get me wrong, they were good. Just more of a spice cake taste than I was expecting.

Ingredients: Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add flour in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Ingredients: Seven-minute frosting

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

6 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

3. As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise the speed; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.

**This recipe is originally from MarthaStewart.com