Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

I’ve made many lemon raspberry cupcake combinations in the past, including lemon cupcakes with raspberry filling, and a previous version of the cupcake below that had a slightly different flavor balance in which the raspberry overpowered the lemon. A small recipe tweak, in which I added more lemon zest to the cupcake batter and less raspberry jam to the buttercream, yielded a wonderful treat that I prepared alongside some creamsicle cupcakes for my gentleman friend’s swim club party this weekend. The cupcake tower in the photo below is a $6 cardboard version I bought at Target, and it might be one of the prettiest displays I’ve ever done.

Obviously, the creamsicles are the orange cupcakes and the lemon raspberry are the pink ones, but they’re both made from the same base recipe, just with different flavorings. One of the best things about the recipe is that you can adapt it into many different flavors, and it always comes out tender and fluffy, thanks in great part to the vanilla yogurt in the batter. One thing I strongly recommend is baking your cupcakes for the least amount of time listed in the recipe, then continuing to bake for about 30-60 seconds at a time until the cupcakes stop sounding bubbly. I’ve learned many things from the Great British Baking Show, and the best tip might have been that cakes make a bubbling sound while they’re still baking, but once they stop “singing” they’re done.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled; this is also 209 grams, for those baking by weight)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 3 medium lemons

For the frosting

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • Red food coloring
  • Green food coloring

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Whisk into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes stop sounding bubbly and/or a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add raspberry jam and beat to combine completely; reserve just a few tablespoons frosting and tint green for leaves, then add as much red food coloring to the remaining frosting as you desire; I went with just a few drops for a darker pink hue but you can go as red as you like. Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I used the Wilton 2D, having recently switched from the M1) and pipe swirls of pink frosting onto cupcakes, then fit a small piping bag with a 352 leaf tip and add the green frosting, then pipe on leaves. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Caramel Latte Cupcakes

How do I decide what to bake each week? It depends on the time of year, what flavors are in season, and how much time I have. Earlier this weekend I baked creamsicle cupcakes and lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream for my gentleman friend’s swim club party, both of which are perfect summer flavors. But coffee is a great flavor at any time of year, and it works very well in many types of desserts, from cupcakes to brownies to tiramisu. Tiramisu is my favorite, though I’ve never made it. Maybe one day, so stay tuned.

I found the recipe for these cupcakes at Frosting & Fettucine and took the advice of the original baker to create a caramel latte version, using a caramel latte buttercream I invented this morning based on my standard caramel buttercream, which uses Smucker’s salted caramel sauce. The end result is a tender cupcake with very subtle flavors, so I think it needs a bit more punch the next time I make it, particularly in the cupcake itself. I fully intend to make this again and to use the recipe as a base for other flavors, likely spice-type ones in the fall, as they have wonderful texture.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
  • 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk (2 teaspoons vinegar and enough milk to make 2/3 cup, stirred and left to sit for 5-10 minutes)

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 heaping tablespoons Smucker’s salted caramel sauce (I mean, heaping! Don’t hold back)
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 18 cupcakes.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Combine instant coffee crystals and warm water; stir to dissolve. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Whisk in eggs until the mixture is smooth, then whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk/sour milk alternatively to combine. Batter will be very thin.

Fill cupcake wells 2/3 full (about 1 and 3/4 scoops of a 2-inch cookie scoop) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from tins and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Once all the sugar is incorporated, beat on medium for 1-2 minutes, then beat in vanilla, caramel sauce, and espresso powder. If desired, dissolve espresso powder in a few teaspoons of heavy cream so you don’t see the flecks.

Fit a piping bag with a large plain tip and pipe a blob of frosting onto each cupcake. Using an offset spatula, flatten the blobs into more even circles. Store cupcakes in airtight containers at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Everyone knows this classic birthday cake combination – two layers of yellow cake covered in chocolate frosting. It’s timeless, and there are many recipes for it out there. This one is a hybrid from a cake I found at Shugary Sweets and my own chocolate buttercream frosting. I added more vanilla extract to the original cake recipe, as I always do. Measure vanilla extract with your heart, bakers. If you feel a recipe needs more, follow your instincts.

This recipe includes both buttermilk and sour cream for a lovely spongy, springy texture. My cake had a few air pockets in it as you can see from the photo, so next time I want to take greater with my mixing for less of a chance of that. I’ll also add more frosting on the tops and sides; I had a great layer of frosting in the middle, but not as much coverage on the tops and sides of the cake as I would have liked. It was a hit regardless though, which is one of the great joys of baking. Even when it’s not perfect, you can still please a crowd with whatever you’ve made.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, plus one egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks, 24 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Dash of salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 x 2 round cake tins.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter for 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla extract, then add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each. Scrape down your bowl, then beat in the sour cream.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beating for about 30 seconds after each; once everything is added, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between the two cake tins; bake for 32-38 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tins for about 10-15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely; I place parchment paper on my racks to avoid grid lines in the the cakes.

Once the cakes are completely cool, make your frosting. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Sift in powdered sugar and cocoa powder, then cover your mixer with a kitchen towel and beat the mixture on low until all the sugar and cocoa is incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add salt, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream; beat for 1-2 minutes. Check your texture; you want your buttercream to be smooth and easy to spread, so add more cream if you need to, but so so sparingly. You can always add more liquid, but you can’t take it back out.

To frost your cake, place one cake on your cake stand and spread about 1 cup frosting over the top; place the second cake on top and frost the top and sides with remaining buttercream, creating whatever pattern you like. My cake was fairly basic-looking, as you can see below. Store tightly covered at at room temperature for 2-3 days; makes about 12 slices.

Orange Drops

The Italian sugar cookie is one of my favorite simple recipes, and it’s easy to adapt with various flavors. I like that it uses shortening, so you don’t need to wait for butter to soften to toss the dough together. I’ve made these in vanilla, almond, and lemon varieties before, and this orange version is absolutely delicious.

Full disclosure on the icing – it looked like a nice pale orange in the bowl, but turned out to be an odd peachy color as the icing set. Next time, I’ll go for a much more vibrant shade, or just leave the icing white and add some orange colored sugar or something to make them look more appetizing. Despite their less-than-desirable shade, they were a big hit flavor-wise, and they’re definitely a cookie I’ll make again.

For the cookies

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
  • Zest of 2 medium Cara Cara oranges (or 1 large navel orange)

For the icing

  • About 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Scant 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • Food coloring, if desired

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper; this recipe yields about 34 cookies.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange zest.

Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing between each. Dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl when it is the right consistency.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Place dough on parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart; they don’t spread very much when baking, but you don’t want to crowd the baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are set and the bottoms are a light golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool before dipping in icing.

To make the icing, in a small bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange juice. Stir until smooth; add remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar to reach a consistency that’s suitable for dipping – you don’t want the icing to be too runny, though it will flow down the sides of the cookies a bit. Tint if desired, or just leave the icing plain.

Dip the tops of the cookies in icing; place on wire racks set over waxed paper to catch any drips. Let stand until set, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Coffee and ginger in a chocolate cake? Trust me, it works. While I’ve baked with coffee in chocolate treats before, I’d not included ginger in a chocolate recipe in the past. You don’t taste either the coffee or the ginger on their own, but they make the cake absolutely delicious.

This recipe is adapted slightly from Joy the Baker; she calls it the perfect chocolate Bundt cake, and I have to agree. I used sea salt instead of kosher and added more vanilla than the original recipe, then chose to cover it with an easy-to-make vanilla frosting. You could serve it with whipped cream or powdered sugar as Joy suggests, which would also be delicious. But the addition of the vanilla icing gives this cake a super-posh Hostess snack cake kind of vibe, and honestly it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever baked.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa, plus more for the pan
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting

  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan and dust with Dutch-process cocoa powder, tapping out the excess cocoa. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, flour, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ginger.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolk, then whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and vegetable oil one ingredient at a time – this helps avoid the mixture sloshing around and splashing out all over your counter.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until the batter comes together, then whisk to fully combine so that no lumps remain; the batter is fairly thin. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 40 – 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (mine needed about 42 minutes). Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely; I place parchment on my wire rack to help support the cake and avoid that mesh pattern in the bottom as it cools. Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, combine melted butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until completely smooth. Spoon over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides and middle; you end up with a lot of frosting for this and it basically covers the cake completely. Allow frosting to set before serving.

Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature; this cake will stay moist for at least a few days. Makes about 12 slices.

Strawberry Cake

My first attempt at this cake a few weekends ago brought every baker’s fear to life: the middle was raw. Fearful of over-baking, I’d pulled what appeared to be a fully baked cake from the oven after 30 minutes of baking, only to watch it deflate on my countertop. Despite its raw middle, the edges were baked and tasted delicious. So back I went to give it another try last weekend, leaving it to bake longer (about 35-37 minutes) and achieving success. I found the original recipe at Bake with Zoha and adapted it to include buttercream, rather than cream cheese frosting. I think either would work very well.

I meant to put lemon zest in the cake batter, because I did that on my first attempt, but I got distracted by text messages from the man in my life and there sat my lemon, un-zested as the cake went into the oven. It’s delicious even without the zest in the batter, though; the frosting is a strawberry lemon buttercream so you get a nice sweet/tart balance.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 340 grams fresh strawberries, pureed to make about 1 1/2 cups liquid

For the frosting and decoration

  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 – 6 cups powdered sugar
  • About 3/4 cup seedless strawberry jam
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest from 1/2 medium lemon (optional, you can leave it out if you don’t like zest in your frosting)
  • Green, pink, and red gel food coloring, for flower and leaf decorations
  • Wilton M1, 4B, and 352 piping tips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking tin with baking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and strawberry puree. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and whisk gently, folding to combine until no lumps remain.

Pour into prepared baking tin and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. I think it’s easier to under-bake this cake than to over-bake it, so make sure your center is fully baked. Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add about 4 cups powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add strawberry jam, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and beat to combine; add 1-2 additional cups powdered sugar to reach a soft but pipeable texture; add lemon zest if desired.

To decorate the cake, reserve a small portion of frosting and tint green for leaf accents. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a large star tip (I used the Wilton M1 for my rose shapes) and  use about 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting to pipe swirls of frosting to look like roses and individual stars to look like blossoms. The palest pink color in the photo above is the natural color of the frosting; tint a shade or two darker to add more flowers and blossoms. I switched to the Wilton 4B tip (this is where the coupler comes in very handy) for additional swirls and blossom-type shapes to fill in the remainder of the cake. Fit a smaller piping bag with the 352 leaf tip and pipe leaves as you like.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature; makes about 18 servings, depending on how large you slice the cake. This beauty went to work with me and got demolished in less than about four hours.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

This is my favorite base recipe for Bundt cake, and I’ve made it in many versions over the years – lemon, creamsicle, vanilla, almond, and poppy seed without the lemon. This weekend I brought together two of my favorite things – lemon and poppy seed – for what might be my favorite version yet.

This cake will go to work with me tomorrow, and you might wonder how one transports a Bundt cake for individual services to their office. I slice up my cake and wrap the slices in individual portions in plastic wrap, like in the assembly line below. That way, folks can grab a slice and enjoy it whenever they like; with their morning coffee, after lunch, or later in the evening.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest from 3 medium lemons
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the glaze

  • About 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Stir in flour in three batches, mixing to combine completely, then stir in poppy seeds.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, place powdered sugar in a medium bowl and add lemon juice about 1 tablespoon at a time to reach a thicker pourable consistency. Stir in poppy seeds, then pour over cake and allow to drip down the sides. Allow icing to set before serving.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days; this cake stays moist much longer than you might expect. Makes about 12 servings, depending on how generous you are with your portions.

Pictured below is my individual wrapping assembly line, in which I stretch out a big piece of plastic wrap, then cut it into little individual pieces to wrap the cake slices. It works very well.

 

 

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

The McDonald’s shamrock shake is one of my favorite special seasonal treats. I’ve wanted to make it in cupcake form for a while now, and I found a great recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker, adapting it to replace the cream cheese frosting with vanilla buttercream and using sea salt instead of kosher in the cupcake batter.

The man I made these for told me they were even better than my creamsicle cupcakes, which transported him back to childhood like that scene in Ratatouille when Ego takes a bite of Remy’s signature dish. That was high praise, indeed, so I’m glad I took the trouble to find mint extract (not peppermint extract) online for these treats – it’s what really gives them their shamrock shake flavor. The next time I make these, I’ll fill the cupcake wells a bit fuller with batter – the cupcakes were a bit shallow, though they were still delicious.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
  • Green food coloring

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake wells with paper liners; this recipe made 15 cupcakes for me, but I think I under-filled my wells so I bet 14 is more accurate.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cake flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix on low for 1 minute, then add butter, a few cubes at a time, continuing until all the butter has been added and the mixture looks like coarse sand. This is the reverse creaming method, and trust me, it works. While this is mixing, combine your milk, vanilla extract, and mint extract in a glass measuring cup for easy pouring in the next step.

With the mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each, then slowly pour in the milk mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth. Batter will be on the thin side.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean – I’d start with 15 minutes and check every minute or so until they’re done. Remove from oven and remove from tins to cook completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk; add more milk if necessary. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls onto each cupcake to look like whipped cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

Poppy seed-related baking reminds me of my dear grandma Zella, the woman who taught me how to bake when I was a kid. She was Hungarian, and poppyseeds are prevalent in Eastern European baking; she certainly made a delicious poppy seed roll at Easter.

This loaf cake is a simple and tasty creation that I bet my gram would have loved. I found the recipe at Crazy for Crust, and for a moment I thought about adding lemon zest into the batter. Lemon and poppy seed are great together, but I’m glad I left this with its simple combination of almond and poppy instead – it was absolutely delicious. I did add more almond extract than the original recipe, because I like a stronger almond flavor.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf tin with baking spray, or grease and flour it.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, whisking between each, and whisk in extracts.
Whisk in about half the flour mixture, then about half the milk. Repeat with the remaining halves and then stir in the poppy seeds.
Spoon batter into the loaf tin and bake about 40 – 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. I covered by loaf at around 30 minutes of baking and the top was still a bit darker than I wanted – next time I’ll try to cover it earlier.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before glazing. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get a thicker pourable glaze. Spoon over the top of the loaf and allow it to drip down the sides. Let glaze set before slicing; I wrap my slices in individual pieces of plastic wrap so I can take it to the office. Makes about 10 slices, depending on thickness.

Double Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to bake with, and these double lemon cupcakes are a simple combination of lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream. They’re very bright in flavor, thanks to lemon zest in the cupcakes (but not the frosting – zest can give frosting a weird texture).

My go-to cupcake base recipe is one I found at Sally’s Baking. It’s easy to adapt for many different flavor combinations – I’ve baked it in multiple forms and like it best for its use of melted butter, so you can mix everything you need in just a few bowls with a whisk. Sometimes, simple recipes are the best ones.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled; this is also 209 grams, for those baking by weight)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 2 medium lemons

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, to taste
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and 1 tablespoon milk and beat to combine completely; add remaining milk if necessary to make a smooth, pipeable buttercream.  Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.