Thursday, May 8, 2008

Lemon Cupcakes

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
1/2 tsp. baking soda 
1/4 tsp. salt 
1 cup butter, softened 
2 cups sugar 
4 eggs 
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk* 
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel 
2 Tbsp. lemon juice 
Line twenty-four 2 1/2 -inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk or sour milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice (batter may appear slightly curdled). Divide evenly among prepared muffin cups. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks.**


Note: you can put cream cheese frosting on the top and decorate them artistically but instead I put choc. chips on the inside and pour a glaze of even amounts of lemon juice and sugar (cooked until sugar dissolves) over them.  That's how I like them, because a treat is not a treat to me without chocolate, and I don't like frosting!

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