Today is...National Cupcake Day!

Today is National Cupcake Day, and this is certainly one day that I will celebrate with great joy! I know so many of you will be celebrating this day with me...everyone loves cupcakes!

There are so many fantastic online resources from which to purchase cupcakes. I have heard fantastic things about Bangerang Bake Shop, for example, and they have a Bangerang Etsy shop as well as a Bangerang Bake Shop website. I understand that they were just featured on The Today Show, so it seems that the rave reviews are well-deserved!

If you are looking to make your cupcakes, here is a recipe from www.Epicurious.com that caught my eye. The tart lemon-y flavor appeals to me, and I would think that you could make these in a variety of berry combinations to create some amazing cupcakes!

(image from www.Epicurious.com, photo by: James Wojcik)

Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes
Bon Appétit April 2008
Janet Taylor McCracken

Yield: Makes 12

Chef's Note: These gorgeous cupcakes have a sweet surprise inside: They're filled with a dollop of raspberry jam. Half of the cupcakes have a pale yellow lemon glaze; the rest are topped with a pink raspberry-lemon glaze.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
12 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
Fresh raspberries (for garnish)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in large bowl until blended, then beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in half of flour. Add buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; beat to blend. Beat in remaining flour.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin liner. Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over. Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted halfway into centers comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl. Spoon half of icing over 6 cupcakes. Whisk 1 tablespoon raspberry jam into remaining icing. Spoon over remaining cupcakes. Let stand until icing sets, about 30 minutes. Garnish with raspberries.



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