Lemon Lemon Cupcakes

I LOVE lemon.

Lemon dessert. lemon pasta. lemon chicken. you name it and if it's lemon flavored I'll eat it!

So it's no surprise that these lemon lemon cupcakes were a huge hit.

I even made up packages of them and delivered them to friends and they raved about the flavor!

{This recipe will make about 22-24 cupcakes or 48 mini cupcakes}

Cupcake Ingredients

4 lemons 

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbl fresh lemon juice

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1/3-1/2 cup lemon zest *

Instructions

Okay, start by zesting a few lemons and squeezing the juice in a separate bowl.  
Set both aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add to flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated.

Add the milk and lemon zest and mix again just till incorporated.


Line two cupcake trays with liners and pour 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake
 (for mini-cupcakes, pour 1 Tbsp of batter into each one)

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes and allow them to cool completely before frosting (bake 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes).

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting.

LEMON ZEST BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
3 Tbl milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
6-7 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon zest, whatever your preference

Let the butter soften to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer.
Mix in the milk, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Add 6-7 cups powdered sugar and mix.
Add the lemon zest and mix….and take a taste.
Add more sugar and/or zest, juice, or milk if needed.

Enjoy!

Recipe Source: http://www.danamadeit.com/