Lemon Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

These Lemon Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream are a delightful treat with a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. The fluffy lemon-infused cupcakes pair wonderfully with the silky, buttery Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Its a must-try dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened for buttercream
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar for buttercream
• 4 large egg whites for buttercream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar for buttercream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for buttercream

Instructions:

Start by heating the oven to 350F 175C

You can line a muffin tin with cupcake liners

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl using a whisk

Put away

Mix the softened butter and granulated sugar in a different bowl

Beat them for about two to three minutes, until they are light and fluffy

One at a time, add the eggs and beat well after each one

Add the lemon juice and zest

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mixing them in with the milk every so often

Start with the dry ingredients and end with the milk

Dont mix any further than that

Add the vanilla extract and mix well

Fill up about two-thirds of the way to the top of each cupcake liner with batter

Its done when a toothpick stuck in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean after 18 to 20 minutes of baking

Set them on a wire rack to cool all the way down

To make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream, put the sugar and egg whites in a heat-safe bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water

Keep stirring the mixture with a whisk until it reaches 160F 71C and all the sugar is gone

This will take about 10 minutes of beating on high speed with an electric mixer after taking the bowl off the heat

The goal is to get stiff, glossy peaks

After you add the vanilla extract and softened butter, keep beating the buttercream until it is smooth and creamy

Put the Swiss Meringue Buttercream on top of each cupcake after it has completely cooled

You can pipe or spread it on

If you want, you can add lemon zest or a slice of lemon as a garnish

Enjoy your tasty Swiss Meringue Buttercream Lemon Cupcakes