Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

When we first moved to California I wanted nothing more than a house that had a nice yard with a palm tree and a citrus tree in it.  Several years later I have a town house with two enormous queen palms and a sweet little Meyer lemon tree that we just planted and hasn't bore any fruit yet.

My husband is a total plant/garden guy and he insisted we get a Meyer lemon tree.  The fruits are sweeter than normal lemons, making them ideal for baking since they don't require so much sugar and still pack some serious lemon flavor.  If you're wondering where to find Meyers you might luck out, sometimes our chain grocery store carries them, but a farmer's market is more likely to have some.

This is my first recipe using Meyers (stay tuned for Meyer lemon curd crepe cake!), and I LOVE these lemons.  They are indeed a little sweeter and add the perfect lemon flavor.  I served these cupcakes with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh blueberries, but they were also delicious just on their own.




Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 3 Meyer lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and whisk until combined.

Linked to:
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
A Themed Baker's Sunday 

12 comments:

  1. I'm looking for the perfect cupcake recipe and this looks damn good. Thanks for posting. X

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  2. These were delicious! Also, I just had the BEST lemon curd cake on Easter at a friend's house. They used lemons from their own tree. The crepe cake sounds fun! Lemon curd is the best!

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  3. I'm so jealous of your lemon tree! Living in an apartment in CT doesn't make for a good citrus growing environment! These cupcakes look amazing, but I'm really interested in your lemon curd crepe recipe! Can't wait!

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  4. I'm having a linky party every week called a Themed Baker's Sunday! Where every week there is a new theme, and this week its lemons!!! I'd love for you to drop by and link yourself up with any lemon recipe you have, old or new! Can't wait to see what ya got up your sleeve!!
    http://cupcakeapothecary.blogspot.com/2011/04/themed-bakers-sunday-2.html
    Alyssa

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  5. I went nuts for meyer lemons when they were in season around here and even made cupcakes similar to yours. They definitely didn't need any frosting but I like the idea of whipped cream and blueberries!!

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  6. oh how I love these!!! They sound delicious! Any cake with lemon is good in my book. :)

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  7. My dream is to have a meyer lemon tree in my yard someday. You're so lucky to have your own and be able to bake up so many goodies using the fruit. I just know your cupcakes were delicious.

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  8. Those sound really yummy!

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  9. What yummy looking cupcakes. I love the addition of the blueberries. Perfect with lemon.

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  10. These look so good! Please share this recipe with our readers by linking it up at Muffin (and Cupcake) Monday. Thanks!

    http://www.talkingdollarsandcents.net/strawberry-muffins-with-a-sweet-topping

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  11. Yum, those look light and delicious.

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  12. Congrats you were in the top 6 on A Themed Baker's Sunday! Come back for the next theme which is Cookies!!!
    http://cupcakeapothecary.blogspot.com/2011/06/themed-bakers-sunday-8.html
    Alyssa

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