Lemon & Elderflower Cupcakes

I was so excited to make these cupcakes after being inspired on Instagram, I then found out that this is actually the flavour of Prince Harry & Meghan’s Royal Wedding Cake… Well you learn something new everyday! I really love the flavour combination, very subtle and floral, perfect for the first days of spring (yet, it’s now winter again obviously as I live in England!) I was about to say that these cupcakes are super easy to make, until I remembered lemon-buttercream-icing-gate. Crisis in the kitchen when I hadn’t paid attention to the fact that adding lemon juice to buter icing makes it VERY RUNNY. So after a quick salvage, I made a fresh batch of icing, with a reduced amount of lemon juice, and added lemon zest instead. Crisis marginally averted. I’ve included the non-runny icing recipe below, just in case you’re worried.

This recipe is the basis for the majority of the cupcakes or muffins I make as it is light and fluffy, and seems to work well with any of the flavours I’ve added (for example see my similar Chocolate Marble Muffins). The recipe below makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients
175g self-raising gluten free flour
175g caster sugar
175g butter (softened – I use stork baking blocks for dairy free baking
3 eggs
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
zest of half a lemon
juice of half a lemon
For the icing:
300g icing sugar
80g dairy-free butter
zest of half a lemon
juice of half a lemon (a big squeeze!)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4. Mix together the butter and sugar in a bowl until you have a soft, even texture. Next, gradually add the eggs and flour, folding as you go. Once you’re happy with your cake mixture, add the elderflower, lemon zest and lemon juice, and mix well.

Prepare 12 cupcake cases in a tin. Gradually add the mixture until you have filled the cases three quarters of the way up (depending on how big you like your cupcakes) place these in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove the cupcakes from the tin to cool on a wire rack, and prepare your lemon buttercream. Mix together the butter and icing until you are happy with the consistency of your icing, then add the lemon zest and juice. To avoid any crisis’ in the kitchen, make sure you’re happy it isn’t too runny before attempting to ice your cakes..! If so, add a bit more icing sugar. Use a piping bag, and decorate your cakes with a neat swirl! On some of mine I added some lemon zest to decorate, but I think I preferred them plain.

As always, let me know if you give this recipe a try (or if you’ve had any similar baking dramas in the kitchen!)

Alice x