Okay, so a bowl of fruit might be much healthier than a batch of cupcakes, but it’s Tuesday and a little sugar pick me up may be just what the doctor ordered. Plus, the recipe I am going to share with you all (courtesy of Ree Drummond from the Food Network) derives most of its flavor from natural fruit sources, lemons and blueberries to be exact.
What I love most about this recipe is that it provides directions on how to make both the batter and the frosting completely from scratch. Recipes made 100% from scratch increase your odds of keeping MSG and synthetic ingredients out of the foods you eat.
So, skip the store bought can of greasy frosting filled with hydrogenated oils and make your own instead. Here are just a few of the many health benefits of using lemon as a main flavor ingredient in cupcakes: vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and protein (organicfacts.net). A cupcake that is both yummy and healthy…what more could one ask for?
Ingredients
- Batter:
- 1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter (let stand at room temp)
- 3 Eggs (let stand at room temp)
- 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 3 T finely shredded lemon peel
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, coated w/ flour
- Frosting:
- 3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter (let stand at room temp)
- 1 stick Cream Cheese
- 2 T fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 T Lemon Zest
- Decoration:
- Lemon Peel
- Blueberries
- Sprig of Fresh Mint (here's a piece of advice: wait to the mint on top of the cupcakes until right before serving to avoid shriveling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- For the batter: Mix the butter and eggs. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Mix the granulated sugar, milk and lemon peel together.
- Combine the flour mixture with the wet mixture, stirring thoroughly.
- Place cupcake liners into a pan and fill each cup three-quarters full with batter. Drop the coated blueberries on top. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- For the frosting: Combine the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest together until light and fluffy. Pipe onto the cupcakes and decorate with lemon peel, blueberries, and mint leaves.
- Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Sources:
“Health Benefits of Lemon.” Organicfacts.net. Organic Information Services Pvt Ltd., 2015. Web. 11 August 2015.
Recipe link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/missys-lemon-and-blueberry-cupcakes-recipe.print.html#
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