Lemon Cup Cakes with Blackberry Sauce



Lynn 3rd Bday March 1995

 


Ria and Lynn on Lynn's 19th Bday 2011

For Lynn's Birthday we enjoyed Steaks and Salmon on the Grill, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Potato Cakes, Grilled Asparagus and of course the Lemon Cake with Blackberry Sauce.  Call me crazy, but I remember the first time I had this cake.  It was long ago when I worked at the Atrium.  We were catering a wedding at Como Park.  One of the brides sister made this for the wedding cake.  Later, I cornered the sister, begging for the recipe.  She said she had found it in an issue of Bon Appetit and that it was called Lemon Wedding Cake with Blackberry Sauce.  It has since been published in The Bon Appetit Cookbook After the event, I raced home and found the recipe and set it aside for a special occasion.  The first time I made if for Sara, I have made it for Amy too, but today's special occasion is in celebration of Lynn's 19th birthday.  My, how time flies.

Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cup Cakes

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups Cake or All Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Sticks or 1 Cup Butter Softened
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 5 Large Eggs, separated
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 Cups Buttermilk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

I use a scoop to make the hole for the filling

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside
• In Large mixing bowl beat butter until smooth, gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy
• Add 5 Egg Yokes, one at a time, beat well after each addition
• Beat in lemon zest and vanilla
• At low speed beat in flour mixture alternatively with buttermilk in 3 batches, beginning with flour



Filled with Lemon Curd

• In a separate bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until medium firm peaks form
• Fold Egg white mixture into cake batter
• Fill Cupcake (makes 24)
• Bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean
• If you are baking in 8 inch cake pan, bake 45 minutes, 9 inch 50 minutes, cool cakes 15 minutes and remove from cake pan and cool on wire rack
• Make a hole in cupcake, reserve the piece of cake you remove, you will need it later. 
• Fill hole with lemon curd and top with reserved cupcake piece.
• Frost with Cream Cheese frosting and serve with Blackberry Sauce

Cupcakes filled with Lemon Curd, notice how I plugged the holes made earlier?

                                           

Lemon Curd

You can use this lemon curd as a cake filling or a tart filling or slathered on top of toast or shortbread cookies.  I sampled it with a Girl Scout Shortbread Cookie and it was delicious. 

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice strained
• 1 Cup or 2 sticks butter
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
• 6 Egg Yokes
• 4 Eggs
• 1 3/4 Cup Sugar

Directions:

• Stir lemon juice, butter and lemon zest in large saucepan over medium heat until butter melts
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg yokes, eggs and sugar until well blended
• Gradually whisk in hot lemon mixture
• Return mixture to same saucepan and whisk over medium heat until thick and smooth (10 minutes).  Do not boil. 
• Transfer to bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, to prevent curd from forming a skin. 
• Refrigerate overnight

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting is a favorite and I have been known to shamelessly use a plain graham cracker as a vehicle to enjoy a thick slather of this sweet and tangy goodness.  If you are a lemon freak you can add 1/2 cup of Lemon Curd to this frosting.  The frosting texture will be meltingly smooth, light and with a hint of lemon.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces or 1 1/2 Package of Cream Cheese softened
• 2 Sticks or 1 Cup Butter Softened
• 1 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Curd (optional)

Directions:

• Beat Cream Cheese and Butter until fluffy
• Add Sugar and beat until light and fluffy
• Beat in heavy cream and lemon curd (if using)
• Refrigerate at least 8 hours

Blackberry Sauce

This Blackberry Sauce is so good.  Try it on French Toast, Pancakes, Ice Cream.  Don't save this sauce for a special occasion Cake.  Make it, freeze it and give yourself a little burst of sunshine. 

The best Blackberry Sauce EVER

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 Cup or 12 ounces of seedless Blackberry Jam
• 1/4 Cup Creme de Cassis or Pomegranate Juice
• 4 1/2 Cups Fresh Blackberries

Directions:

• Whisk jam in saucepan over medium low heat until melted and smooth
• Whisk in Cassis or Pomegranate Juice
• Transfer to large bowl
• Add berries and toss to coat
• Chill until cold, 8 hours



Lemon Cup Cakes