Lemon for Her & Chocolate for Him
On a luminous April day, my darling grandparents celebrated 60 years of love.
How better to celebrate love than with food made from the heart?
I was asked to create a sizable number cupcakes to commemorate these special people. In a bit of a panic, not having come prepared to bake and also not having ever baked at such a volume while in Europe visiting my family, I quickly had to spring into action, put my math cap on (it's my most ill-fitting cap), and get to it.
Luckily a request for chocolate was thrown my way which eliminated some of my need for critical decision making. I decided to create two completely opposite yet marvelously complimentary cupcakes, lemon would be my other flavor.
As I began to determine how much of everything i would need before my Oma and I headed out to the Lidl market in town for supplies. You can imagine my utter elation when I found out my Opa is apparently a big fan of buttercream icing, you see - I too love buttercream. I've never been a big fan of icing and i'm honestly quite particular with it. I prefer something lighter like a whipped cream or something that doesn't require icing at all. However, when the occasion for icing does arrive, I only subscribe to the buttercream brand. Okay, unless it's carrot cake. That's a cream cheese icing scenario, but OTHER than carrot cake, it's all about buttercream.
I wanted to keep these two cupcakes very individual but both looking elegant and classic. Most importantly I wanted them to be representative of the amazing couple we were getting together to celebrate.
My Oma is just filled to the brim with warmth and sweetness, but she is also very honest and very witty - two qualities simply buzzing with personality. These soft lemon cupcakes snugly hugging this sweet and tart lemon curd center, topped with a sweet and zesty buttercream and overflowing with gorgeous accouterments, the result truly felt like a lovely representation of so many facets of my beautiful grandmother.
For my Opa, a stern yet suave and sweet counterpart to my lemony grandmother. Classic and elegant, with never a hair out of place (I'm not kidding. The hairspray is parked safely next to the mirror on the little vanity in the hall as you make your way out of the house. A last look and a last spritz before heading out the door is essential...) and the epitome of the 'strong & silent' type. The end result was a rich chocolate cupcake, layered with dark chocolate chunks and folded into the fluffy batter and finished with a whipped chocolate buttercream and golden pearls. A decadent dessert with a touch of bite enveloped in class and simplicity, just like the wonderful man that helped raise my amazing mom and her four stunning sisters.
Food can be so incredibly representational. It can hold memories and act as a sort of time capsule.I know that for me, anytime I make a fresh lemon cupcake, or some in a decadent chocolate, I'll remember this day.
Now without further adieu, the recipes for the cupcake couple.
The Chocolate Heribert
Cupcake dough:
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet chocolate pudding mix (dry)
3/4 tsp (3.75g) baking powder
3/4 tsp (3.75g) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2.5g) salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
1/3 cup (78.9ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water
Generous handful of dark chocolate chunks or chips (about 1/2 cup or 90g)
EXTRA: If you want a little mocha kick, add 1/4 cup of your favorite ground espresso. If you're me... you might add a kick more, but I'm also insane for coffee.
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream:
1 cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
3 cups (330g) powdered sugar sifted
2/3 cup (50g) cocoa powder sifted
1 1/2 tsp (7.4ml) vanilla extract
1/8 tsp (2.5g) salt
1/4 cup (59ml) heavy cream
Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 C). Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, pudding pack, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. (Sifting will create a lighter/softer cupcake. If you don't have a sieve, whisk these ingredients well.)
Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir until incorporated.
Heat 1/2 cup of water on the stove until boiling (1-2 minutes). Pour boiling water into batter and mix until fully incorporated. The texture of the batter should be consistent throughout. Batter will be thin, but shouldn't have watery spots.
Add chocolate chunks and fold in evenly.
Fill cupcake liners to about 2/3 full. Be sure not to overfill. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Test with a toothpick to ensure centers are cooked through.
Directions for icing:
Add softened butter and 1 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.) Using the whisk attachment and mix until combined, scrape the bowl, and repeat with remaining sugar.(Add sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time.) When all sugar has been added, turn speed to medium/high and whisk about 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Add the cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt, and blend on low for 1 minute. Add heavy cream in a slow drizzle as it blends.
Once the mixture is mostly combined, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Whip buttercream on medium/high speed for 4-5 minutes, until it is silky, light, and fluffy.
Decorate as you like!
Lemon for Eva Lily
Cupcake ingredients:
3 cups (360g) flour
1/2 tsp (2.5g) salt
1 cup (113g) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups (400g) white sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
3 tbsp (44.4ml) lemon zest
1 cup (240ml) whole milk - or a creamy milk of your choosing, room temperature
3 tbsp (44.4ml) fresh lemon juice
Lemon curd:
3 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/2 cup (120ml) lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup (55g) butter, cubed
1 tbsp (14.8g) grated lemon zest
Lemon Buttercream:
3 tbsp (60g) butter room temperature
2-3 tsp (10-15ml) lemon extract
1 tsp (5ml) whole milk or more as needed
1 cup (125g) confectioners' sugar or more as needed
1-5 drops yellow food color - I went with 1 for a lighter yellow to showcase the bright colors in the berries, but if you're going for a bold yellow I would use 5 drops.
Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 C). Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer 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 in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, about 15 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
Lemon curd directions:
In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended. Add butter and lemon zest; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened. Be vigilant! Your wrists will be very angry but your tastebuds will be so thankful. Transfer to a small bowl when thickened; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.
When you're ready to fill your cupcakes, I carve a teeny circle about quarter sized in the top and remove the top like a lid. Scoop out a bit of the cupcake insides, fill with curd and close the lid! if you want optimal curd and you're going to cover the cupcakes with frosting anyway, just fill it up and skip the lid!
Directions for icing:
Beat 3 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, and milk together until smooth. Add yellow food coloring.
Beat confectioners sugar into butter mixture until desired consistency is reached. You may want to add more sugar, but play that by ear.
I do hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as my family and I did! Have the best time decorating them any way you love!
(Please note for all of these cupcakes I made double batches of everything.)
