Lemon Cupcake

I just ended my over 2-week long vacation on Monday. Even with a workless schedule I find my self very very busy. My usual day is wake up at 9.30am. Wash up, newspaper with breakfast in the next 2 hours. Then I start to bake like crazy, and get ready to deliver the cakes to whichever friends that I am going to meet in the afternoon.



You see I am happily feeding my friends! I wished I have the option to tell J that I am too busy to hold down a fulltime job... =p



This is one of those bakes which I think look better ones.


Lemon Cupcake
Adapted from Carol Durst's book: I know you were coming so I bake a cake.

Ingredients for the cake:
3 cups cake flour
225g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (original qty)
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling (optional): Jam of your choice. I used this luscious marmalades bought during one of my working trips. It was sitting around for sometime so I need to use it up!

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degF (180C). Grease cake pans and coat the the pan with flour.


2. Cream the butter, and incorporate sugar. Beat slowly for 2min until smooth. (I used my KW speed#3)
   Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and beat for 2 min more.


3. (Turn my KW to the lowest when adding flour) Combine flour, cornstarch (if using), baking powder and salt in the mixing bowl. Add flour and milk alternatively: Flour -> milk -> Flour -> milk -> Flour, mix until the batter is smooth.


4. Fill prepared cupcake cases with some batter. Make a dent in the batter with a small spoon. Scoop a small tsp of jam (if using) into the dent. Then fill up the case with more batter until 80% full. Bake about 30-35min, until golden on top and springy to touch: a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Don’t overbake. Bake cupcakes about 20min.


5. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it.


6. To make frosting: Melt 20g butter with 2 tsp lemon juice. Slowly add icing sugar (100g) until it is lightly flowy. I love this frosting - tangy and sweet!
   

According to the book, this recipe should yield two 8~9" cake or 24 cupcake or 9x13 sheet cake. My cupcake is probably too big... as I only had a baker's dozen!

saved the 13th cupcake for my baby.

My Notes:

• I learnt that the final batter should be smooth and quite runny; to the extend that it readily drop from the paddle when lifted up. Else, add spme milk until the desire texture is reached. It also looked pale and soft like whipped cream.


• In some recipe, I need to smooth out the top or else the baked cupcake will have an uneve top. Can skip this step in this recipe; the batter smoothen out itself in the oven.
  
  

This is the first time I make the ribbon rose. So easy:

Hello Kitty never fail to excite the young-at-hearts:

The box I used does not come with the cupcake insert. So just before I leave home, decide to make one myself: