Lemon Raspberry (Lemon curd filled) Cupcakes

Made for:

Spring has sprung. The sunshine pops out and the fresh fruit pops up. This is what this spring taste like... Fresh Meyer lemon, and raspberries.

How it's made:

1 Cup (2sticks) unsalted butter, room temp, plus more for pans

2 1/2 cups Gluten free Bisquick (or all purpose flour for non celiacs),plus more for pans

1/2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1tsp salt

1 tbl lemon zest

2 cups of sugar

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tbls fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer)

1 Cup low-fat buttermilk

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Lemon Curd:

3 Large eggs

3/4 Of granulated sugar

1/3 Cup of fresh lemon juice

1 tbls of room temp butter cubes

1 tbls of lemon zest

Add 3 large eggs to a bowl (glass or metal it"s going to be used as a double boiler) whisk together. Add sugar whisk together. Add lemon juice whisk together. Put bowl over sauce pan of simmering water.Whisk constantly until it becomes really thick like a soft sour cream or 160c on a candy thermometer. It takes about ten minutes or so. when its ready remove from heat add 4 tbls of cut up, room temp butter and 1 tbls of lemon zest.. Stir together until well mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap until it touches the curd and place in the refrigerator. When it has thickened pipe into cupcakes.

Frosting:

3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 1/2-4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

pinch of salt

handful of crushed raspberries

Mix together ingredients then spoon a little onto the middle of the cupcake. It will spread. This recipe is quite runny. Top cupcake with a slice of Meyer lemon and a raspberry and you have yourself a taste of spring!

Information:

Meyer lemons taste a little different from a regular lemon. A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin. They aren't as sour. They are a little more spendy then a regular lemon. Make sure to fully cook your Meyer lemon curd or it can taste metallicy. Make sure to store left overs in the fridge.

How they taste:

They taste a bit sweet and fruity! I love the lemon curd in the middle. It was my fave part. But if I had to change it I would make the frosting a little thicker only because it's harder to store leftovers with runny frosting. These were yumminess.

Deviled Eggs (Peepers)

 Made for:

Peeeeepers! What a great way to change up the traditional deviled eggs on Easter. These are made for my family for Easter dinner. I wanted to so something just a little different.

How it's made:

These are mixed up just like you were making regular Deviled eggs:

Mayo

Mustard

Pickle relish (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Eggs

A Few olives

a carrot

Boil Eggs. Cut tips of eggs off. Then carefully scoop out yolk into a bowl. Mix mayo,mustard, relish, salt, and pepper together to taste and until pretty smooth then set aside.  Cut out small eyes from the olives (pieces). Cut out Tiny thin carrot shaped noses from the carrot.

Put yolk mixture into a plastic baggie then cut a small hole into the corner. Big enough to pipe yolk mixture. Pipe yolk mixture into the eggs until over flowing (making the chicks head). Add the olive eyes and carrot nose. Place the tops of the egg crooked on top to make it look as though they are peeking out.  I would add some romaine lettuce leaves (or something along those lines) to the plate to help them stand up. Vwa-La! you have peepers.

Information:

I saw this picture on Pinterest and thought it so cute I had to try. I should have sculpted there faces a bit better but all was well in the end.

How they taste:

Just like a baby chicken... Just kidding. Just like a deviled egg :-). Yummy in my tummy.