Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 T lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 large eggs plus three large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 small can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 18 oz jar raspberry preserves or jam
Fluffy Boiled Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper or foil cups (makes 24).
Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl and blend until fluffy. Add lemon zest, juice, and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly, blending well. Slowly pour in buttermilk until completely combined. Spoon into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 of the way.
Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes until light golden. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

When cool, shake can of thawed frozen lemonade mix and pour half into small bowl. Using a pastry bruch, glaze each cupcake with the mixture, going over twice to absorb. Let sit about an hour.

Using a wooden spoon with a thick, round handle, poke holes into the center of each cupcake. Stir raspberry preserves to loosen and scoop into pastry bag fitted with coupler only. Place tip of bag into each hole and squeeze slightly until cupcake very slightly expands. Wipe off any excess filling.


Fluffy Boiled Icing

This recipe is also on the Wilton website. It is a perfect touch for cakes that just need that extra sweet something to really set them off without tampering with the flavor too much. Also, it has no shortening or butters, keeping the fat content a little lower than with traditional icings.

3 Tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water

Combine meringue powder and cold water in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form, about four minutes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water under medium high heat. Cook and stir until it comes to a boil and set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour into meringue mixture while beating. Continue to whip until glossy and stiff, about four minutes. Tint using mixer if desired.
Easiest to place in pastry bag with no tip and pipe onto cupcakes. Very light and fluffy!