The Humble Gourmand

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Combine butter, sugar, and lemon zest in large mixing bowl. Using an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and much lighter in color. (This is the key to moist and fluffy cupcakes, so make sure to beat well, at least 5-10 minutes.)
• Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. In a third, small bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon extract.
• Add the eggs one at a time to the mixer, making sure to fully incorporate the first egg before adding the second.
• Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in the following order: add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, 1/2 of the wet, another third of the dry, the rest of the wet, and the rest of the dry. Mix until just combined and finish with a spatula. (If you overmix after the dry ingredients are added, the cupcakes will not rise properly and the texture will be chewy and dense.)
• Bake in the top third of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before topping with the lemon buttercream (recipe follows).

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

7 egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
½ c. water
1 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tsp. lemon extract
Yellow food coloring (optional)

Requires candy thermometer

• Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed.
• Add sugar, corn syrup, and water to a pot and swirl or mix with a spoon so that the sugar has the consistency of wet sand and all of the granules are moistened.
• Cook the sugar on high to 235F. At this stage, which candymakers call the soft ball stage, most of the moisture gets cooked out of the sugar.
• Immediately add the cooked sugar to the egg whites, which should be foamy at this point.
• Turn the mixer speed to high and whip the meringue to a medium peak.
• Add the butter in small clumps (about 1½” cubes) and whip until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, and holds together.
  
• Add the lemon extract and food coloring if using and whip to combine.

Alternately, to make a Swiss buttercream:
Leave out the corn syrup and combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a water bath and heat to 110F, making sure to stir the sugar and egg whites with the whisk attachment. At 110F, the sugar should be somewhat dissolved and the mixture should feel hot to the touch but should not burn you. Remove from the water bath and whip on high speed to medium peak. Proceed with steps 6 and 7.

To finish the cupcakes:

• Top each cooled cupcake with a swirl of the lemon buttercream.
  
• Dip and roll each cupcake in yellow sugar crystals or raw sugar. (The sugar crystals add a nice crunch to the soft icing.)
  
• Top each cupcake with a candied lemon slice (see recipe here).