Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

These Pink Lemonade Cupcakes are perfect for Summer. Drizzled with lemon sugar syrup and frosted them with a zesty lemon buttercream frosting. Decorated with pink, white, and red nonpareils, and topped off with a straw to give it that pink lemonade retro, funky feel.

I can’t believe it, I feel so out of touch, but this looks like my first baked goods in almost a month due to that pesky reoccurring cold I had (that I posted about in my last post). I’ve totally missed baking, blogging and visiting all my favourite blogs. Feels like I’ve been on some sort of weird vacation where I’ve not been online much yet vacations are supposed to be good, right? Not a fever sweaty bed vacation LOL! I have a hell of a lot to catch up on so please bear with me and don’t bail out.

So, last week I wanted to get back into the swing of things. It’s a really weird feeling to have had the energy and passion back once again yet to be finding myself in the kitchen actually reading the directions on the recipe because I’d become rusty. It was funny too because over time, I’ve become fast at doing ingredients, I’d start with creaming the butter and sugar together and while they were creaming, I’d start weighing out my others into other bowls. Of course, I did this but so much slower than normal and getting myself in a flap about it. Seriously, it was funny! Like I didn’t know what I was doing, heh!

Therefore I bring ye some pink lemonade cupcakes! That should have read ‘Therefore I bring ye some made in a complete state of dazed, confused and ‘in a flap’ style pink lemonade cupcakes.’ They were in a book named “The Cupcake” that my fella, the giant man-baby, bought me as a gift. They were on my to-do list of things to bake which I had completely forgotten about until I was casually flipping through the book and re-ignited my desire to make [and eat].

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

They’re made of basic sponge recipe then drizzled in a warm lemon sugar syrup and allowed to cool before frosting them with a zesty lemon buttercream frosting that includes a little double (heavy?) cream. Then, of course, decorated with either pink and white sugar crystals or pink, white, and red ‘hundreds and thousands’ (nonpareils sprinkles). But of course, you can decorate it however you feel. But it must be topped off with a straw to give it that finishing pink lemonade retro yet funky feel. I love that!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe

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Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15-20 mins

Yield: 10 cupcakes

Ingredients:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

115g/4oz self-raising flour
¼ tsp baking powder
115g/4oz butter, softened
115g/4oz caster/superfine sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
pink food colouring

FOR THE LEMON SYRUP:

55gg/2oz granulated sugar
Juice of 1 small lemon

FOR THR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

55gg/2oz butter, softened
Juice and finely grated zest of1 lemon
4 tbsp double (heavy) cream
225g/8oz icing/confectioners’ sugar
pink food colouring

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Put 10 paper liners in a bun tray.
Cream the butter and caster/superfine sugar using an electric mixer. Meanwhile, sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl and set aside. Add the eggs, one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture followed by a spoonful of flour [to prevent curdling], then add the remaining flour and beat until smooth. Beat in a little pink food colouring to colour the mixture pale pink.
Spoon or pipe the mixture into the paper liners. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, place the granulated sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool for 15 minutes. Prick the tops of the warm cupcakes all over with a skewer and liberally brush with the warm lemon syrup. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
To make the buttercream frosting, place the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until pale and creamy. Beat in the cream, then gradually sift in the icing/powdered/confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat for 2-3 minutes, until the buttercream frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in a little pink food colouring to give a pale pink colour.
Using a small palette knife, thickly swirl the buttercream frosting over the tops of the cupcakes. Scatter sugar sprinkles or pink, white, and red ‘hundreds and thousands’ (tiny coloured sugar balls) onto a plate and roll the cupcakes’ edges in the sprinkles. Cut the straws to 8cm/3¼ inch lengths and push into the cupcakes to decorate.

Recipe Source:

“The Cupcake” from Love Food by Parragon Books

I am totally digging these pink lemonade cupcakes right now. I’m glad I made them. The lemon gives that refreshing kick to the moist yet light sponge and that buttercream frosting was so creamy yet with a touch of lemon. The giant man-baby commented that they were a bit like cheesecake. Not sure how but I suspect he meant that the buttercream frosting is quite creamy. It may also be because I make him a lot of lemon cheesecake so he remembered that taste and associated?

So what are you waiting for? In 30 mins you can have some too. Get to that kitchen! Stat.

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Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes