Lemon and Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcakes are expensive to buy but you can make an impressive batch at home for a fraction of the cost.

By The GH Kitchen TeamPublished: 12 December 2016

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Good Housekeeping UK

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Yields:

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Cal/Serv:

387

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

200 g
unsalted butter, softened
200 g
caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
4
medium eggs, beaten
200 g
self-raising flour

For the icing

75 g
unsalted butter, softened
175 g
icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp.
vanilla extract
1-2tbsp milk
Selection of sugar sprinkles

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan) mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Step 2
  For the cupcakes, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. If the mixture looks as if might curdle, beat in 1tbsp of the flour.
3. Step 3
  Add (remaining) flour and the lemon juice and fold in using a large metal spoon, until combined. Divide between the paper cases. Bake for 12-15min, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Step 4
  For the icing, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and 2/3 of the icing sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the remaining icing sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make a soft but spreadable buttercream.
5. Step 5
  Spread icing on to the cooled cakes, swirling into a peak using a palette knife. Decorate with sugar sprinkles. Enjoy!

Per Serving:

Calories: 387
Total carbs: 47 g
Sugars: 34 g
Total fat: 21 g
Saturated fat: 13 g

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The GH Kitchen Team

A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.

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