Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

OK, I'll admit it. After resisting the cupcake bandwagon for months and months I'm sitting squarely in the front seat at the moment. It's the frosting. There's no other explanation for why I've made more cupcakes in the last month than I've made my whole life to this point. I'm pretty sure that frosting should be it's own food group. I feel a lot like Buddy the Elf with his candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. Maybe I should find a frosting addiction support group. So many questions, so little frosting....

These cute cupcakes came about because it's B's birthday tomorrow but she is going to be out of town so we celebrated her 16th day of birth (how did that happen?!?) yesterday. She is a chocolate lover to the bone but many of the people that were attending aren't so I did a chocolate birthday cake and these Raspberry Lemonade cupcakes. I debated whether or not to just use a cake mix, everyone knows I am cake challenged at times, but saw lemon cupcakes on My Baking Addiction and decided to give it a shot. I called it my Food Porn Friday challenge for the week.

The cake recipe was super straightforward and easy and only one of the 2 dozen cupcakes came out looking scary so I will definitely do this again. I will also make note to not use foil cupcake liners again, those things are stupid. Just for the record. The frosting is my regular cream cheese recipe with the addition of a sweetened raspberry sauce. I used frozen berries for the sauce and it worked out perfectly.

Lemon Cupcakes
slightly adapted from My Baking Addiciton

2 1/4 c. cake flour
2 T. and 1 tsp cornstarch
1 T. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
Zest from 3 lemons
1 stick butter (I used regular salted) at room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract

1. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites.
3. In yet another large bowl (your mixer bowl) mix the sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until the sugar is moist and "lemony fresh". (B's favorite step)
Mix the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the extracts, then add 1/3 of the flour mix.
3. Beat in half the milk/egg mixture, half the remaining dry ingredients, the remaining milk mixture and finally the last of the dry stuff. Beat the batter together on medium for about 2 min so that it's well mixed and kind of airy.
4. Scoop the batter into your muffin tins. Bake 18-22 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting
this makes a ton, I usually refrigerate the left over and use it on something else...like chocolate.

2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1 bag powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar.

1. Put the frozen raspberries in a small saucepan with the 1/4 c. sugar. Heat on medium heat until berries are broken down and the mixture is starting to thicken. If you have a lot of ice crystals in your berries and it seems too runny give it a sprinkle of cornstarch and stir well to tighten it up.
2. Press raspberry mixture through a sieve to strain out most of the seeds and set aside.
3. Cream together the cream cheese and butter until well combined. Add the raspberry sauce and mix well.
4. Gradually add the powdered sugar until frosting is the consistency you like. I typically make mine a bit stiffer if I am piping it from a decorating bag and a little creamier if I'm just spreading it.
5. Mix in vanilla. (If you wanted to really add to the "lemonade" aspect of the cupcakes you could also add the juice of one lemon) Adjust consistency with more powdered sugar if needed.

Post linked to:
Sweet Indulgences Sunday  
Sweets for a Saturday
Cupcake Party 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Your Recipe My Kitchen
Blue Velvet Cupcakes Link Party 
Just Something I Whipped Up
Bizzy Bakes 
Making the World Cuter Monday   
Muffin Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesdays
2 Maids a Baking Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Cast Party Wednesday
Whisking Wednesdays
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Baked
Foodie Wednesday 
Turning the Table Thursday
Full Plate Thursday