Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Here is another leftover cupcake for you!  Leftover lemons and leftover raspberry pie filling = lemon raspberry cupcakes.  I have been wanting to experiment with lemon curd for quite some time now, so the pile of lemons in my fridge proved useful.  A light and refreshing cupcake resulted from my endeavors!  


Cake:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

4 egg whites

1 box white cake mix

Lemon Curd Filling:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup lemon juice

zest of one large lemon

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

6 large egg yolks

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup raspberry pie filling

1 tsp raspberry extract

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1.  Begin by making lemon curd filling.  Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium-low heat.
2.  Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and zest.
3.  Combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch in small bowl and add to the mixture.
4.  Whisk in egg yolks until smooth and return to heat.
5.  Cook over medium-low heat for roughly 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.  Do not allow mixture to boil!
6.  Once thickened, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into medium bowl.  Allow to chill completely before using.
7.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
8.  In a large bowl, whisk together water, buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
9.  Add eggs whites; whisk to combine.
10.  Slowly add the white vanilla cake mix while stirring.
11.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full, and bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
12.  Place cupcakes on wire rack to cool completely.
13.  After cupcakes are cooled, using an apple corer, remove center of cupcake and fill with lemon curd filling.
14.  To make frosting:  beat butter until light and fluffy; add raspberry pie filling, raspberry extract and powdered sugar; beat until desired piping consistency is reached.
15.  Pipe onto cooled and filling cupcakes.

Source:  Lemon curd recipe courtesy of Annie's Eats

Triple Berry Bars

I wanted to try something completely different today.  Lately it's been cupcakes, cupcakes, and more cupcakes.  Now don't get me wrong, I love cupcakes, but I just wanted a change of pace!  Since I started this blog in November, I've been dying to make berry desserts.  Unfortunately, it's just not the season for good quality fruit in Missouri.  I am anxiously awaiting summer, so I can get my hands on some fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.  I have a running list of berry desserts for when the weather gets warmer.  That being said, I just couldn't help myself today!  Even though the berries in the bars are not fresh, they are delicious!

Triple Berry Bars

Crust and Topping:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

Fruit Filling:

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup flour

pinch salt

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp almond extract

32 oz frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; thawed and drained

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. 
2.  To make crust and topping, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse a few times to mix, or whisk until combined. 

3.  Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add to the flour mixture.  Process until the butter is evenly distributed, but the mixture is still crumbly, 30-60 seconds.  If you do not have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender or two forks.

4.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to use as the topping.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan, and bake 12-15 minutes.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.

5.  To make the filling, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon zest, and almond extract. 

6.  Gently fold in the berries and spoon the mixture over the crust. 

7.  Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture evenly over the filling, and bake 45 to 55 minutes.

8.  Cool at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Source:  Adapted from Pink Parsley's Blackberry Pie Bars