When Life Gives You Lemons..... BAKE!

Lemon & Ginger Cupcakes!
So I have decided to try and dedicate Wednesday nights to baking/experimenting and trying new recipes! Here is the first 'offish-aall' session! 

As you know, I LOVE lemons, and I happen to be a bit of a Lemon myself, so this recipe is defiantly one of my favourites. The Ginger gives it a nice, fragrant light spice too.

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 25 Minutes

Makes around 12

Ingredients:

110g unsalted butter at room temperature

225g caster sugar

2 large organic eggs

150g self-raising flour

125g plain flour

90ml semi-skimmed milk

30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ tsp ginger

1tsp grated lemon zest

1tbsp sour cream (I used double ½ tbsp of double cream on this occasion)

For the Icing:

115 g unsalted butter, at room temp

30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp Grated Lemon Rind from a lemon

500g Icing Sugar, sifted

Food Colouring (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160oC or 180oC for fan assisted oven and Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed butter and sugar and beat well.

3. In a jug, combine the milk, lemon juice, ginger and sour cream. Alternate adding the flours and milk to creamed butter mix as follows - add one-third of the flour and mix well. Add half the milk mixture and mix well. Add another third of flour and mix well. Add the remainder of the milk and mix well. Finish by adding the last third of flour and the lemon zest and beat like there’s no tomorrow sister!

4. If the mixture looks like it is curdling slightly, don’t panic – simply add another spoonful of plain flour and beat well. Spoon out the mixture evenly between the cases and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Use a cake skewer in the centre of one the cupcakes to check they are cooked through. They will appear quite a light golden brown colour even when cooked.

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes and the place carefully on a wire rack to cool completely.

5.  In a large bowl, beat the butter, milk, lemon juice, lemon rind and half the icing sugar until smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat until thick and creamy. (I find using an electric whisk in the last few minutes makes it extra smooth and creamy!

When the cupcakes are completely cold, they can be iced with the fresh lemon icing and decorated with a sugared lemon slice (I got a packed in the Sainsburys baking sale!) or some grated peel from a lemon. Sprinkle a tiny spinkling of ginger from a height over all the cakes and…. Walaaa!

I personalised a cake for my lovely friend, and wonderful human being - Zara (Keep It Bright/Dream Factory). I tried to make an equally special personalised box - unfortunately i forgot to take a photograph of the cake in its box presented in all it's glory :P

I also made a batch of classic Vanilla just for the sake of it. Same as above really , but substitute the Lemon juice, zest, ginger and sour cream with a few drops of Vanilla.

If you would like any of these beauties, get in touch! 

Stay Positive, Keep Calm, and BAKE CAKES!