Princess Cupcakes for the new little princess on the way!
She wanted “white on white” cupcakes. Just like the last baby shower.
I wanted to jazz things up a bit – so I added lemon zest and juice to the cake batter, lemon extract to the extreme frosting, white and golden pearls, and a “skinny dipped” lemon almond atop each little cake.
Gorgeous.
This little girl is already spoiled!
Lemon Princess Cupcakes
Lemon Zest White Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup butter room temperature (1 stick)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
5 large egg whites, room temperature
2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon
Lemon Extract Cream Frosting:
3 cups shortening, for super white frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3/4 tsp. lemon extract
Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Then, add egg whites and lemon juice and zest, and beat until light and fluffy, about a minute.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, just until each ingredient is incorporated and batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
Divide batter among 24 cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Extract Cream Frosting:
In a large bowl, add the shortening and beat until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the powdered sugar, lemon extract, and sea salt and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Pipe or spread frosting with a knife onto cupcakes. Top with decorative pearls and/or Lemon Bliss Almonds to serve.
