Stawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Hello, my name is Amy and I am a baking addict.  I'm hosting a clothing swap today.  It's also a friend's birthday, so I decided it was a perfect opportunity to bake cupcakes ... for my baking pleasure her birthday.  The night before last, I get an e-mail asking if instead of cupcakes, I'd consider making the grapefruit yogurt cake again.  But, but, I've already made it twice ... within one month!  And I've already found an adorable looking recipe for strawberry lemonade cupcakes from a new blog.  Of course, I agree to make the cake, but decide to go ahead and make the cupcakes as well.  You can never have too many desserts right?

As I'm making the batter for the cupcakes, something seems off.  It reminds me more of lemon pound cake than cupcakes, but I plow ahead assuming that a Martha Stewart recipe is a sure thing.  When I pull them out of the oven, they look awful.  Moreover, they don't taste that great either ... into the trash they go!  I'm sure there's a logical explanation for what went horribly wrong ... I just don't know what it is!  But, I've already made the strawberry lemon buttercream frosting.  Granted, it doesn't look as beautiful as it should (I think my strawberry puree ended up being a bit too runny, it was beautiful frosting before I added the strawberry!), but I love the taste.  I can't let that frosting go to waste.  So I google search for a lemon chiffon cake recipe.  Once again, epicurious comes to my rescue.  It's a little more work than the original cupcake recipe, but worth the effort.  I've scaled both recipes down to make 12 cupcakes.  I ended up with extra frosting even after scaling.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes


Lemon Chiffon Cupcake (from epicurious)

Ingredients

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

8 eggs, separated

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Chiffon-Cake-2207#ixzz0lSnavKaZ

1 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line muffin tin with 12 muffin liners.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Using electric mixer at low speed, beat in vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon peel. [I hand mixed this portion.]
3. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using clean dry beaters, beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites.
4. Fill muffin tins with batter.  Cook for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Strawberry Lemon Buttercream Frosting (from confections of a foodie bride)

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
4 egg whites
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup strawberry puree (about 3 medium, hulled strawberries)
1/2 tsp vanilla


1. Place the stand mixer bowl over a simmering pot of water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk the sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees with a candy thermometer.
2. Place bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until the mixture is cool and holds stiff, glossy peaks (approximately 10 minutes).
3. Change to the paddle attachment and beat in one tablespoon of butter at a time on medium. The mixture might appear curdled but keep going, it will pull back together.
4. Add lemon juice, strawberry puree, and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until the frosting reincorporates and is smooth and fluffy (approximately 10 minutes).