Mmmm...Cupcakes

I recently went through this brief period wherein I craved cupcakes. I'm usually a chocolate person but for some reason, this past winter and spring I have been craving non-chocolate cakes and cookies, especially really good cupcakes. One of the best recipes that I've found is Gourmet's Buttermilk Cupcakes. It makes about 30 cupcakes.

Here is the recipe:

3 1/4 cups plus 2 tbs sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbs) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Reduce the speed to low and add buttermilk. Add the flour in 3 batches.

Divide the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 18-22 minutes.

The best part about this recipe is that it comes with 2 frosting recipes, a lemon and a chocolate. Both come from a cream cheese base.

Here is the recipe for the chocolate and lemon cream cheese frostings:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick plus 7 tbs unsalted butter
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tbs plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and confectioner's sugar until light and fluffy.

Transfer half of the frosting into another bowl. Mix the chocolate into one bowl and the lemon juice into the other.

I made this recipe for a Valentine's Day Tea Party and happened upon a great flavor combination: the lemon frosting with a slice of strawberry on top. Sometime about the 2 flavors just brings it all together.