Lemon Blossom Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Enjoy a pretty burst of lemon with these Lemon Blossom Cupcakes. Delicious, moist lemon cupcakes topped with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Cupcakes:
2½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. kosher salt
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¾ cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ cup lemon zest, freshly grated (2-3 lemons)

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup lemon zest, freshly grated (2-3 lemons)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Line a standard cupcake pan with twelve paper baking cups, or grease the pan with butter if not using baking cups.

For the Cupcakes:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Add the vanilla to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Add one third of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last third of dry ingredients followed by the last third of milk. Mix slowly until just incorporated. Add lemon juice and zest, and mix thoroughly at low speed.

Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a standard-size ice-cream scoop until the cups are two-thirds full, and bake for 16-18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:
Combine the ingredients in a mixer and whip together at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Frost the cupcakes with a swirl, and top with a lemon wedge or piece of lemon zest.

Makes 12 cupcakes.