Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes and Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I think it's safe to say that I am going through a lemon phase. I can't seem to get enough. I can't seem to stop thinking of dishes or treats that will somehow involve LEMON! Today I bring you two new recipes. Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes and Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

I can say in full foodie confidence that these two recipes, the frosting in particular, are the best lemon treats I've had. EVER! The cupcakes offer a near perfect texture and a light lemon flavor. The frosting is sweet but packed with a delicious tart lemon flavor. In all honesty, I could sit and eat the frosting from the mixing bowl. I have never been so excited to share a recipe as I am to share this frosting recipe. 

I found these recipes after a quick look around the internet for some inspiration. After a quick look over the recipe I realized there was no vanilla. I had one of those Foodie Freakout moments in the kitchen. Vanilla is my favorite flavor. I know it's plain, simple and boring to some. Why do I love it so much then? It's SO versatile and can add just the perfect little hint of flavor to compliment so many other flavors. If one uses vanilla beans, one can add some serious pure vanilla flavor to compliment anything. If you haven't used vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste, I highly recommend it. Anywho, I obviously found it necessary to add vanilla to these recipes. I chose to add a little more than normal so that it could stand right beside the power of the tart lemon flavor. I think it was a success!

Another change I made, which is a small change but yields a big result, is lemon juice. I added more. The recipes needed it. I just knew they would be better! And...I was right. 

Now is the point where I stop chatting and you start baking. You should print these recipes and get lost in Foodie Heaven. ;-)

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes      [Printable Recipe]

adapted from: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/lemon-layer-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/

Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons

1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.

4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and butter milk. Mix until just combined. Do NOT over mix.

5. Scoop batter into cupcake pans lined with cupcake papers.

6. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.

Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting       [Printable Recipe]

adapted from: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/lemon-layer-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Note: Lemon juice and powdered sugar are really to your taste. I used 2 Tablespoons juice and about 4 cups powdered sugar.

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a mixer beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until well mixed.
2. Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired taste and consistency.
4. Place frosting in the refrigerator if it's too soft. If not, ice cooled cupcakes.

Simple Cheesecake - No longer fear baking a cheesecake!

Do you just excited, maybe even start to feel a food high, when certain ingredients are involved in a dish/meal/dessert? Cream Cheese is one of those ingredients that gets me excited. It's never just the cream cheese alone however. In this case it's the combination of cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla…that gets me to that place of bliss. Of course, there are some more ingredients and a bit of time to get to the place a bliss, a cheesecake. 

No Bake Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries

What a way to kick off the warm weather (We finally have some here in Indiana) than with fresh Strawberries and a simple No Bake Cheesecake!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies...Two Ways!

Who doesn't just love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies? I think they are probably one of my favorites. Although I don't think anything can top a sugar cookies with some buttercream frosting!!

Going bananas! (for Banana Whoopie Pies!!)

A new way to have a scrumptious banana?

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake!

     

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I wanted to try something different with pumpkin so I started searching the net. I came across this recipe. I decided to give them a try. I did alter a few things and used a Whipped Cream Cheese Filling instead of the recipe filling. They were a total hit! I decided I would share my version of the recipe. The photo I took (above) was voted the 2nd favorite photo on allrecipes.com on October 1st!! I was only 4 votes behind the winner. Made me so happy!

Where's all the pumpkin?!

I don't know if I can explain enough about my love for pumpkin. I love pumpkin pie, muffins, and now cupcakes just to name a few treats. Pumpkin is another part of ringing in Fall for me. You can't have Fall without Pumpkin and it's spice spicy companions. I thought I was at my brink of excitement when that Carrot Cake was cooking but I was wrong. When these cupies started baking I can't even explain how happy I was. The house smelled amazing. The spices just filled the house with a smell no Autumn candle can match.

My Take On Carrot Cake [with recipes]

Tonight I finally have a chance to sit and tell the story of My Take On Carrot Cake, which has become kind of a tradition to make every August. Now, it's only been a tradition for 3 years, but still it's something I will never complain about. There are two reasons, I LOVE CARROT CAKE! and it's for a birthday. Not your traditional birthday cake I know, but why not! :) 

Grammie's Strawberry Filled Cupcakes

So I tried something that I've not done before...Filling cupcakes.

Having read through the begining of my new cookbook I thought I'd try a cake recipe from it. However, I didn't want to just make a cupcake. So, I thought that I'd make them extra special and use some of my Grandma's (hence the name) homemade strawberry jam. Was a good idea and the cupcakes did taste decent but not great, to no fault of the jam. I'm still trying to work up my baking supplies and ingredients. I have yet to get a scale and all that jazz to measure properly. The way most recipes were made in the cookbook were by weight. Now they do give you the cup amount to add, but it's important to follow the "dip n scoop" method. I think that's where I failed in this cupcake. The recipe used cake flour which I had to purchase, don't keep it in the cabinet. So, I took the bag out and dumped into the measuring cup rather than doing "dip n scoop". BAD IDEA! It doesn't help that I, still don't know why, I don't have a sifter and the flour was to be sifted. In the end, the cupcakes look AWESOME! Unfortunately, they were a little dry. Even after the filling and frosting, they didn't get much better. I will try this recipe again, but I will make sure to do it properly. Anywho, here are some pictures!

The cupcakes shortly after the oven. They look SO good!

Filled and iced with a very good Cream Cheese Frosting!

And a look inside. Kinda looks like a face sticking out it's tongue. lol