Strawberry lemonade elephant cupcakes
Makes 38 (After several times using this recipe, I’ve discovered that when I try for an even 3 dozen, my cupcakes end up WAY too big and overflowing. When I make it last for 2 more cupcakes, they’re just perfect).
Lemon cupcakes (Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride)
- 4½ cups flour
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, at room temp
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 eggs, room temp
- 8 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Over medium speed, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer.
- With the mixer on low-speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.
- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, mixing just to combine.
- Keeping the speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.
- All at once, or working in batches, divide the batter among 38 cupcake liners, until each is about ½ – 2/3 full (be careful not to over fill, these cupcakes will rise).
- Bake for about 22 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- While they’re baking, prepare the strawberry filling by mixing together the strawberries, corn starch, and sugar in a medium bowl.
- Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting according to the directions below.
- After they’ve cooled completely, use a knife to cut out a quarter-sized circle in the middle of each cupcake, reserving the centers for cake pops perhaps.
- Spoon strawberry filling into the center of each cupcake. Cover completely with frosting and serve (or top with a sugar cookie for added decoration:).
Strawberry filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, diced
- ½ teaspoon corn starch
- 1/3 cup sugar
Lemon cream cheese frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter over medium speed.
- Add the cream cheese and whip until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar, in thirds, mixing on slow speed until combined.
- Add the vanilla, lemon zest,and salt, and beat on medium speed until smooth.