Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

My next-door-neighbor gave me 4 beautiful Meyer lemons and I wanted to bake something yummy to share with her family as well. I've tried baking a vegan lemon bar in the past and failed miserably so I spent hours looking for the right lemon recipe. Cookies? Cake? Bread? So many choices! I found TONS of great recipes and had a hard time making my selection. Then I had a hard time picking the frosting. Blueberry? Raspberry? Cream Cheese? AHHHHHH!!! I settled for Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting. I love that I found an egg-free recipe so I didn't have to worry too much about whether they'd turn out or not.

I thought the cupcake was lemony and delicious.

My first attempt at piping a decorative cupcake frosting. Not bad considering I was in a rush and frosted 2 dozen cupcakes in 2 minutes.

The frosting was good but too sweet for my taste. At least everyone else liked them and they looked pretty, too. :)

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

Yield: 12 regular or 24 mini cupcakes 

Note: I doubled the recipe because I need 24 cupcakes but they were still pretty small.

Ingredients:

• 1 c soy milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 c flour
• 2 tbs cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c margarine, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• juice of 2 Meyer lemons (or 2 medium regular lemons)
• 1 tbs Meyer lemon zest (or regular lemon zest)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk soy milk and apple cider vinegar in measuring cup and set aside a few minutes to curdle. 
3. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
4. In stand mixer bowl, cream margarine and sugar about 2 minutes. 
5. Add vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
6. Alternate mixing in soy milk mixture and dry ingredients. 
7. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes until done. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

Source: The Boastful Baker 

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Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• butter, 1 stick (I used margarine to firm up the frosting a bit)
• powdered sugar, 3/4 box
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 c milk
• 3/4 c raspberry preserves

Directions:

1. Mix butter and powdered sugar together. 
2. Add vanilla and milk. 
3. Add raspberry preserves and mix until combined. 
4. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes.