Mellow Yellow

This is a pretty simple recipe with simple ingredients. You can make it a bit more fancy by adding the candied lemon slices, but if that looks like too much work, just forget about it and make the cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

| Cupcakes |

• 1 3/4 C (219 g) all-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

• 3/4 tsp. baking soda

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt (like Diamond, use 1/2 tsp. if using Morton)

• 3/4 C (150 g) caster or granulated sugar (vegan)

• 1/4 C (57g) vegan butter (room temp)

• 2/3 C plant milk (room temp)

• 1/3 C lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

• 1 T vinegar (white or apple cider)

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 T lemon zest

| Lemon Buttercream |

• 3 1/2 C (420 g ) confectioner/powder sugar (sifted)

• 1 C (227 g) vegan butter (softened, unsalted preferred)

• 1 T plant milk

• 1-3 tsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• pinch of salt (can leave out if using salted butter)

• 1 tsp. lemon zest

| Candied Lemon Slices |

• 1-2 lemons, sliced 1/4” thick

• 1 C (200 g) granulated sugar

• 1 C water + more to boil

• Ice (for ice bath)

You will need:

• Muffin tin(s)

• Muffin liners

• Large bowl

• Hand or stand mixer

• Cooling rack(s)

• Whisk/ spatula

• Tongs (if making candied lemons)

• Sifter

• Spoons or ice cream scooper

  
  Makes 12 cupcakes

{ Prep }

• If using candied lemon slices, go ahead and make them first- see directions below

• Bring butter and milk to room temp

• Zest and juice lemons

• Add vinegar and lemon juice to milk and let sit for at least 10 minutes

• Sift icing/powdered sugar

• Line cupcake tins

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 320°

CANDIED LEMONS

1. Slice lemons to 1/4” thickness. For this, it’s best to use a very sharp knife or a mandolin- make sure to use the guard!

2. Remove and seeds.

3. Place slices in a large pot or pan and cover with water. Bring to a low rolling boil.

4. Let boil for 1 minute, then remove lemon slices with tongs to a large bowl of water with ice to stop the cooking process. You could skip this step, but what it does is take away the bitterness of the lemon rind. So if you want to eat the slices and not just use for decoration, I would do this.

5. In your large pot add the sugar and 1 cup of water and heat on high.

6. Once the sugar has completely melted in the water, add the chilled lemon slices and reduce the heat to simmer- low to medium-low.

7. Let the slices simmer for 30- 40 minutes or until translucent.

8. When done, remove from pot and place on a rack or parchment paper to cool. Depending on your area and time of year, this could take between 2-6 hours to dry. I like to make mine a day ahead.

CUPCAKES

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt- mix with a whisk or on the low setting of your mixer until well combined.

2. Add butter and continue to mix at a low speed until the mixture becomes a bit crumbly- about 1 minute.

3. Slowly add in milk mixture and vanilla and mix on low speed until just combined- about 30 seconds.

4. Use a spoon or a rubber spatula and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no pockets of dry spots.

5. Mix again for another 20 seconds then fold in the lemon zest with a spatula.

6. With an ice cream scoop or spoons, fill tins 3/4 of the way.

7. Place cupcakes on the middle rack and bake 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven) or until tops are firm and a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from tin and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.

BUTTERCREAM

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, mix room temp butter on medium-low speed for 4-5 minutes so that butter becomes soft and fluffy. If you want nice silky buttercream, don’t skip this step.

2. Slowly mix in sifted powder sugar into butter mixture with a spoon or spatula (so the sugar doesn’t fly everywhere). Continue to mix on low until the sugar has incorporated and not flying around, turn mixer up to medium and beat for 1 minute.

3. Add in lemon juice, extract, and a bit of milk (start slow, you can always add more), then mix for another 1-2 minutes or until buttercream is soft and fluffy- medium-high speed.  

4. Scrape down your bowl again to make sure that all the buttercream ingredients are well combined and mix for another 30 seconds if needed.

5. Mix in zest with a spoon or spatula or with the blender on low.

6. If you like to add gel color, go ahead and add it now with a spatula. Otherwise, add buttercream to a piping bag and top cupcakes with the frosting. Or if your old school, just slather it on with an offset spatula or butter knife.

7. Top each cupcake with a candied lemon slice.

8. Enjoy!

I hope you give this recipe a try and share them with someone you love. If you do, let me know how it turned out!

Thanks for spending some time,

xxx Debbie xxx