Lemon Cupcakes and Thanksgiving Fun!

How was your Turkey Day? I had such a great Thanksgiving! My parents and my sister and her family came out, risking the drive in the snow. I am so glad that they did. We enjoyed every second. My sister has a little boy and a little girl and we had so much fun entertaining. We ate, went to the zoo, ate, went to the Children's Museum, ate, shopped, ate, went out to eat, and...did I mention EAT!!! We are all such gluttons! Any dull moment, we got out leftovers and stuffed our faces. Then we complained the whole time about being full, gassy, etc...you don't need ALL the details! :) While they were here I made Lemon Cupcakes for a friend's daughter's baptism. I kept the frosting white and used pearly white nonpareils. They were so simple and pretty looking and what a hit! They are so moist and fluffy I compare them to angel food cake! This recipe rocks...MAKE THEM!!!

Lemon Cupcakes
Source: Our Best Bites

In your shopping cart you need:
1 1/2 cup (three sticks) of butter
3 cups cake flour (no substitutions or they will not be as light and fluffy)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 Tab. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons (zest before you squeeze em! :) )
1 cup buttermilk

Put your apron on and ...

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In the bowl of your mixer...beat butter and sugar for about 4 minutes till it is light and fluffy and white. While butter and sugar are mixing, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside. Add eggs one at a time in mixer to butter and sugar while it is running. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

With mixer on low alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk until fully incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners almost to the top. Bake about 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. These cupcakes are nice and flat...they are not supposed to have a round top...so you haven't done anything wrong! Remove from oven and frost with cream cheese frosting or lemon buttercream.