Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream ?

             Aside from chocolate, fruity desserts are definitely my favorite. Now that Spring is here – and Summer is just around the corner (woot woot!) – we’ll be getting fruity around here far more often

To kick things off I give you lemon cupcakes with raspberry buttercream! They’re fruity, flavorful, and so fun to make. Trust me when I say combing vibrant lemon cupcakes with a gorgeous pink raspberry swirl is sure to make you a baking big shot.

We have a lot to cover today, so let’s dive right into the recipe details.

The first thing I want to talk with you about is the raspberry buttercream frosting. It’s the star of the show, in my opinion! And easy to make, as long as you have a little patience and pay close attention to the recipe below.

Here are a few tips to help you along your way:
1) Make sure your raspberry puree has cooked down to a thick puree and has reduced to 1/4 cup. Removing the puree from heat too soon will leave you with too much liquid, so this is very important to keep in mind.

2) Please (please please please) let your raspberry puree cool completely; 100%; all-the-way! If it’s even still a little warm when you add it to the mix it will throw off the consistency of the frosting and most likely leave you with a gloppy mess. We don’t need that drama in our lives now do we? The puree typically takes 30 minutes to cool (in the fridge), and can be made ahead of time if need be.

3) You want to make sure your butter is very soft. I like to leave two sticks out on the counter for at least an hour before unwrapping them and getting busy, but yours may soften slower or quicker depending on the temperature of your house. The butter temperature is very important here, as it gives this buttercream shape and texture. You will know your butter is soft enough when you can press your finger into the top and an indentation is effortlessly made. Cold butter as well as melted butter should never be used when making this buttercream. In short, it will not work.

4) Once all of the sugar has been added, beat beat beat! You will beat the frosting on medium-high for 2 whole minutes. You will need to use a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer for this step. Beating the frosting on high makes it SUPER luscious and fluffy.

5) If for some reason your frosting seems a bit thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar; if it seems too thick, add a touch of cream. I like to start with a 1/4 cup when adding more sugar, and 1 tablespoon when adding more cream.

6) Don’t forget the salt! Many readers have (and even friends) have informed me they don’t add in the salt called for in dessert recipes because “they don’t like salty sweets”. I feel you! But most times the salt called for is to help balance out the sweetness, and in this case, is quite important for achieving a balanced taste.

I know, I know! I’m such a nerd with my tips! But I just really want to make sure your cupcakes (and frosting!) turn out beautifully

Which brings us to the cupcakes. The easy part, in my opinion These cupcakes are fabulously fluffy and exploding with bright lemon flavor in every bite.

The secret ingredient for these cupcakes is cake flour. Cake flour is lower in protein than all-purpose flour, and results in light and airy cupcakes.

Pro tip: In a pinch you can make your own cake flour by sifting together 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This will make one cup of cake flour.