Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Sift the self-rising flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Step 4

Gently combine the flour mixture into the butter mixture, one third at a time, alternating with half the milk and half the lemon juice after each of the first 2 additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not over mix.

Step 5

Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, about 15 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.

Step 6

Beat 3 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, and milk together until smooth. Add yellow food color- optional.

Step 7

Beat confectioners sugar into butter mixture until desired consistency is reached. You may want to add more sugar.

Step 8

Please note! This is not enough frosting to decorate 12 cupcakes like I have in the pictures. You will want to at least double the recipe if using the 8B tip.