Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• For the buttercream icing:
• 140g/5oz butter, softened
• 280g/10oz icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• Few drops yellow & pink food colouring
• 2 tbsp strawberry syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Few drops lemon & strawberry essence essence

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• In a mixing bowl add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and flour. 

• Beat with an electric mixer until well combined and mixture is of dripping consistency adding more milk if needed.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

• Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. 
• Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
• For the lemon & strawberry buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
• Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Divide this into two equal portions.
• In one portion add lemon juice, essence & yellow food color.
• In second portion, add strawberry syrup, essence and pink food color.
• Spoon the icings into separate piping bags with star nozzle.

• Pipe the icing over cupcakes using a spiraling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.
• Sprinkle the cupcakes over with edible cake decorations of your choice.

• Serve with your evening tea or brunch!

~ Happy Baking!