We all know that quote… when life gives you lemons… make lemonade. Well, that is exactly what I did today… except it was cupcakes.
It was such a beautiful weekend – spring was definitely here. Blue blue sky, an abundance of birds crowded in the trees, gossiping at high speed. Children testing their body’s memories on how to ride their bikes, tires crunching gravel, found under snow. The trickle of the snow turning into water and running down the sides of the streets into the gutters. I remember as a little girl, putting on my rubber boots at these times, grabbing a fallen branch, and fishing in those snow streams, convinced I was going to catch something in the shallow rivers.
That is why, it is always oh-so-disappointing, when a heavy snowfall rears its ugly head, roaring just once more. It is almost soul-crushing for us snow dwellers, whose very skin is longing for the first spring caress on our bare arms.
I long for sun, for warm breezes, for the yellow crocuses to poke through the hard ground, and the tantalizing tartness of Spring.
Here is a small lemon recipe to brighten your day, no matter where you are.
“so the freshness lives on
in a lemon,
in the sweet-smelling house of the rind,
the proportions, arcane and acerb”
From the poem “A Lemon” by Pablo Neruda
Lemon Cupcakes
Step 1
-In first bowl, cream 1 cup butter with 2 cups sugar for 5 minutes (until light and fluffy). Add 4 eggs (1 at a time) and 5 tbsp lemon extract (that is about the whole bottle of a 43 ml bottle) or 1/3 cup of lemon zest… I prefer the extract.
-In second bowl sift 3 cups flour, ½ tsp each of baking soda and powder, and 1 tsp salt.
-In third bowl combine ¼ cup lemon juice, ¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ of regular milk, mixed with 1 tbsp of lemon juice that has sat for 5 minutes), and 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure, not artificial).
-Alternate mixing the flour and milk mixture with the butter mixture in bowl 1 until all mixed.
-Divide into 2 muffin tins that have been greased and lined with muffin baking cups, bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean.
Step 2
-Combine ½ cup sugar with ½ cup lemon juice. Heat until just melted (either on stove, or 1 minute in microwave).
-When cupcakes are done, allow them to cool for 10 minutes, and then poke many holes in them with a long wooden skewer. Pour syrup over cupcakes until soaked through. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
Step 3
-Mix 2 cups confectioner sugar with 3 ½ tbsp lemon juice. Drizzle over cup cakes.
Voilà!
Gourmet recipes at your finger tips...
