Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes - and an Announcement!

Hey every one! Thanks for checking back in to read about how to make a light, summery, fresh cupcake. This is a lemon cupcake with strawberry icing and according to my coworkers, and my moms homeroom - they're delicious! Yes, I tasted them and I think they're fantastic but that is a biased opinion!

This recipe comes from Baked Perfection at http://www.bakedperfection.com/2012/03/lemon-cupcakes-with-strawberry-frosting.html - I added my favorite cupcake ingredient - Pudding!

You will need:

For the cupcakes:

3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 package of instant vanilla pudding
2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter
3 eggs
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest (aka pain in the butt)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sour cream

For the icing:
1 cup of butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup of strawberry jam (I added more here...)
pinch of salt
6 cups of powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoon of milk

To begin, set your oven to 350 degrees. Begin by mixing together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and instant pudding mix.

In a separate bowl, cream together your butter and sugar. Whisk in eggs one at a time and add you vanilla  Add your grated lemon zest and your lemon juice. I also added a little bit of lemon extract, which i know is cheating, but grating lemon zest is a workout I wasn't entirely in the mood for.

Begin combining your dry ingredients into your wet, while also adding your sour cream. This is honestly the thickest cupcake batter I have ever dealt with, but dont be discouraged!

Drop your batter into lined cupcake pans and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye that the tops do not get too browned! You want these to keep their lemony complexion.

Once baked to a point where a toothpick, inserted near the center, comes out clean, allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Meanwhile - mix up your icing! Cream together your butter and vanilla extract. Add in your strawberry jam. Mix in your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Make sure to stay low speed on the mixer or you will end up with a winter wonderland in your kitchen! Once all of your sugar is mixed in, add in 2-3 tablespoons of milk at a time to your desired consistency.

Pipe the icing on your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!!

 Check my Instragram at Jessicalynn23 to see a finished picture of the cupcakes! Follow me for plenty of food pictures! 

And now for my announcement.
I just want to let you guys know that will summer coming up, I think I will be taking a little break from my blog. I dont think I will be able to keep up with blogging every week and I don't want to leave you all hanging if I dont get around to it. I hope to still post when I am able to get in the kitchen or find a great summer recipe I want to share.

I want to thank everyone who has been reading my blog thus far and I hope that you continue to check in when I am able to post. This has been a great way to keep me cooking on the weekends and I truly enjoy writing for you all. I love cooking and I love sharing my experiences with you. I hope you found some great tips and recipes and I look forward to continuing to share with you! 

Until next time, I hope you all have a great summer and spend lots of time with loved ones in the sun!