Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

As I’ve said before, I grew up in a Wholesale Nursery specializing in Citrus… so I love lemons. I love the way they taste. I love the way they smell.  I love to bake with them. That tart, fresh taste is so delicious in baked goods, and blends so well with berries.

Lemons remind me of growing up in Southern California. Lazy afternoons… doing not much of anything really. Wearing shorts and flip flops, sipping Raspberry Lemonade, playing with the other kids playing in the sprinklers, just hanging out and lazing the day away.

Nice…So to me, Raspberry Lemonade screams summer…

George Gershwin wrote it, Ella Fitzgerald and Janice Joplin sang it, and now we’re in the midst of it….

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy”

Bake up some Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes to have by your side.

(Because, the kids are going to get hungry…. and they’ll come to you looking for something… and there is no point in getting up once you are comfortable.)

I’ve also added a recipe for Raspberry Lemonade the perfect summer drink.

Yup… the livin’s easy…

 

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe

Sweet and Tart… and very pretty

 

• Serves: 24 Cupcakes
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Fresh lemons are important, but that stuff in the lemon shaped bottle will do in a pinch….

The Raspberry Puree can be made from fresh or frozen Raspberries…. you’ll find instructions below

For bonus points.. top the cupcake with a fresh Raspberry.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter- room temp.
• 2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
• 3 tsp. Lemon Zest
• 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 3 cup Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Raspberry Puree **

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cupcake pans with paper liners… give them a quick spritz with non-stick spray stuff to make sure the cupcakes come out in one piece.

Put butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs… beat to combine.
Add Yogurt, Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice, and beat until smooth.

Combine Flour and Baking Powder, add the flour mixture to the Butter mixture. Beat until completely combined.

Scoop a tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner. I use a small cookie scoop with a thumb trigger for this. It’s neat, and gets less on your fingers than a spoon (although… I do love licking batter off my fingers, it’s not tremendously sanitary).

On top of the tablespoon of batter, spoon a teaspoon of raspberry puree.

Add another tablespoon of batter, and then a final teaspoon of puree.

Take a toothpick and swirl the puree and batter together a bit. You don’t want to go nuts, just give it a quick whirl.

Put the pans in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pans and let cool completely.

Frost with Raspberry Buttercream 

**RASPBERRY PUREE
Put fresh or frozen/thawed raspberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and let them macerate (get squishy) for a bit. Mash the heck out of them with a potato masher, or toss the mess into your food processor. It will be like loose jam.
For the Raspberry Puree in the cupcakes, I didn’t bother straining the seeds… too much of a bother. You can if you want to. Just make sure you end up with 1/2 cup in the end.

 Raspberry Buttercream Recipe

Sweet and Pink from Raspberries

 

• Serves: makes 6 cups frosting
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes

Use Raspberry Lemonade Buttercream to frost Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes.
Or whatever other cupcakes or cake you feel needs it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1  cup Butter
• 6 Tbl. Raspberry Puree
• 4 Tbl. Lemon Juice

Instructions

Put the butter in a mixer with a whisk attachment. Start it spinning. Slowly add the powdered sugar… seriously, go slowly, or you’ll be wearing the sugar.

When the sugar is completely incorporated, add the raspberry puree and lemon juice.

Beat until smooth, fluffy and pink.

Pipe or spread on Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

 

Put A Scoop of Batter in the Cupcake Cup…. add a Spoonful of Raspberry Puree

Cover with more Batter

 

 

 

 

After Adding Second Scoop of Batter…

Add A Bit More Puree

Swirl with a Toothpick

 

Baked Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Just lightly browned on top

 

Pipe Raspberry Lemonade Frosting on top of the cupcakes!

Raspberry in Every Bite of Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Raspberry Lemonade

Perfect drink for hot summer days…

• Serves: 2 quarts
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 22 minutes

Cool and refreshing, and a pretty pink, Raspberry Lemonade is the perfect drink for a hot summer afternoon.

Spike it with a little vodka, and you have a lovely drink for a grown-up gathering on a summer evening.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lemon Juice (approx 6 Lemons)
• 1 1/4cup Granulated White Sugar
• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Raspberries fresh or thawed
• lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

Put the Raspberries and 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl, mash together a bit and set aside.

Simple Syrup
In a small saucepan, stir the water and 1 cup sugar over medium heat until sugar until it comes to a boil, and the water completely dissolves. Set aside to cool.

Squeeze the lemons to make lemon juice, you will need a cup of juice total.

Mash the Raspberries completely. Smoosh the berries through a sieve if you don’t want the seeds in your lemonade. You should end up with over 1/2 cup of berry puree. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the sieve… that’s where the good stuff hides.

In a Juice Pitcher, combine
1 cup Lemon Juice
1/2 cup or more of Raspberry Puree
1/2 to 1 cup of Simple Syrup (start with 1/2 cup, then add more if you want it sweeter)
4 cups Water

Stir all together… Serve over ice… garnish with a lemon slice.

Squish the Raspberries through a Sieve to Make the Puree without Seeds

Scrape the bottom of the sieve

 

 

 

 

Use Fresh Lemons

That stuff in the plastic bottles is not so good

 

 

 

Freezing Cupcakes

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes can be made in advance and frozen.

Freeze them, with or without Butter Cream, on a sheet, and then pack them in an airtight container.

You can keep them frozen for 2 months.