Bright and Delicious Lemon Buttercream Cupcakes

Welcome sunny days and spring weather with these bright and tasty lemon buttercream cupcakes, a perfect Easter recipe. 

LEMON CUPCAKES 

•    3 cups self-rising flour

•    1/2 teaspoon salt

•    1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

•    2 cups white sugar

•    4 eggs at room temperature

•    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•    2 tablespoons lemon zest

•    1 cup whole milk divided, room temperature

•    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided

LEMON BUTTERCREAM

•    3 tablespoons butter room temperature

•    2-3 teaspoons lemon extract

•    1 teaspoons whole milk or more as needed

•    1 cup confectioners’ sugar or more as needed

•    5 drops yellow food coloring

Note: Double or triple this recipe for one dozen or more cupcakes.

DIRECTIONS

LEMON CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners. Sift the self-rising flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 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. 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. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake about 15 minutes or until toothpick insert comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

LEMON BUTTERCREAM
Beat butter, lemon extract, and milk together until smooth. Add yellow food coloring if desired.  
Beat confectioners sugar into butter mixture until desired consistency is reached. You may want to add more sugar. Source: iambaker.net