We were invited over to my friend (boss and neighbour) Sunday for dinner and an unveiling of her newly renovated bathroom. It’s quite exciting, she has been wanting to renovate since she bought the house! I must admit, I am a bit jealous as our bathroom needs renovating too (dark green tiles on the WALLS? WHY? WHY? WHY? I could have lived with white, but why dark green?), but we just did all the windows and the landscaping so it will have to wait. Or if I win the lotto.
It’s Easter Sunday and although we usually spend it with my brother’s family they have opted to head up to their cottage on Lake Rosseau in the Muskokas (you may have heard of it, Goldie Hawn had a place on this lake and Martin Short’s cottage is just down the road from him), Kim kindly invited us for dinner. Since it is Easter, I thought I would make lemony cupcakes. Now I am fully aware of my limitations; I surely do not have the patients for extravagantly decorated desserts as Lorraine, Sawsan and Charlie do (to name a few) so I selected a cupcake which was quite manageable and not overly fussy. I did have a bit of a time with the marshmallows, but that is another story. The cupcake recipe is quite spongy, so if you are looking for a dense cupcake, your in the wrong place. JT liked it well enough that he asked I hold back two (you would think it’s one for me and one for him, but sadly it isn’t, they are both for him!)
Lemon Almond Cupcakes
Original Recipe from Five Roses Flour Cookbook
Should make 12 regular muffin tin cupcake
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (depends on how lemony you would like them)
- 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3 egg yolks, beaten lightly
- 3 egg whites
Directions:
- Pre heat oven to 350°F
- Sift flour, baking soda and salt together, set aside
- Cream butter gradually adding sugar until light and fluffy; add lemon juice, rind and beaten egg yolks and almond extract.
- Add dry ingredients and beat well.
- With a clean beater, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
- Add about two tablespoons of the beaten egg whites into the batter and beat well (this is to loosen it up a bit).
- Fold in the remaining egg whites.
- Line your muffin tins with adorable muffin cups; fill cups about 2/3 full (I filled mine too much and only got 10 cupcakes that overflowed the cup a bit).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Martha Stewart Marshmallow Frosting
This frosting is really just like Marshmallows, it even toasts up like real marshmallows. I halved the recipe because I didn’t want a lot left over and I still had a tonne left over. I’m not sure how long it will last, but I filled a zip lock baggy with it and put it in the fridge; I’m hoping to use it for the cupcakes for my family next weekend. I’ll update as soon I as I see how well it lasted.
Ingredients:
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
Directions:
- Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add almond extract, and mix until combined. Use immediately (or cover with plastic wrap).
Oh wait, what’s that you ask? Why yes, it is the place card for the upcoming Titanic Centenary Party next weekend. Angela has gorgeous china that will make us all feel we are dining right on that elegant vessel. We’ll have to remember our manners at the dinner table!
To decorate the cupcakes, you will need:
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1 small package of Cadbury Chocolate Easter Egg Mini’s
To decorate the cupcakes was quite easy and not at all time consuming. Note: I did one test where I frosted the cupcake and then dipped the icing into the plain coconut, then I torched it with my little crème brulé torch, but the coconut caught fire before I successfully toasted the marshmallow frosting.
Test #2 was more successful I roasted the coconut in the oven (watch carefully), then I frosted the cupcake and torched the frosting a bit to get that nice golden colour (like fire roasted marshmallows). Then, I dotted a bit more of the frosting on the roasted frosting so that the coconut will stick (it doesn’t stick to the roasted bits), then I dipped them into the oven toasted coconut. I dipped the Peeps bottoms and the eggs into a bit of the frosting so they stick to the nests.
[…] I wrapped it in the Marshmallow Frosting from Martha Stewart that I made for the cupcakes at Easter. Deliciously lemony with a creamy marshmallow […]
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Eva, these cupcakes look amazing! I love the idea of the marshmallow frosting too 🙂 you are too kind, thank you for the mention!
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Thank you kindly Lorraine, that is a very flattering compliment. It is indeed my pleasure whenever I get an opportunity to mention you on my blog, thank you!
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These cupcakes are stunning – their flavours, presentation and overall festivity is brilliant 😀
Love them!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Thank you kindly CCU, I am making them again this coming weekend for my brothers family. The icing was particularly delicious!
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Very pretty and festive cupcakes, Eva. And I love your bunny napkins…are they cloth or paper? Adorable.
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Thank you kindly, Betsy. The napkins are paper, a gift from my brothr’s MIL.
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You are too kind Eva! I am truly humbled by your sweet shout out. You inspire me with your every post. Your olive bread is a family favorite, my mum actually asked me for the recipe!
I love your taste in food and your plating and styling is always so elegant and tempting.
You made me laugh with the fact that JT wanted the two cupcakes for himself, it sounds like something my husband would do
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Thank you Sawsan! I am flattered by your compliment. In actual fact, I really am not much of a dessert eater and JT generally offers me a bite or two!
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Caught fire? Oh no! That doesn’t sound good, though I’m glad the second attempt worked better. You reminded me of Cadbury Mini Eggs – I haven’t had those in years… I think they’re made with milk chocolate in England, and with a speckled, crispy sugar shell… Are they they same for you there? They’re perfect for decorating Easter cakes with though – I love your little cupcakes, and the coconut nests is a wonderful idea. I nearly made a Simnel Cake for Easter but to be honest, I just couldn’t stomach another rich, heavy fruit cake, which is all English cakes ever seem to be… this looks much nicer 🙂
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Hi Charles, the eggs are indeed milk chocolate. I think you can get speckled candy coatings but mine were plain. The little nests are really cute and the kids go wild for them. They are pretty sweet though. I know what you mean about overdoing the rich heavy desserts, I get enough by just taste testing a bite here and there.
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Hi Eva! Yes, your little nexts are so cute! I’m famous for not having made a cupcake before… I’m serious! I wish I can make these beautiful cupcakes for my kids one day!
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Thanks Nami. You can take your favourite cake recipe and just put it into muffin cups instead of a cake pan. Everyone raved about the frosting, I think I will use it for all cakes from now on.
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Love, love your little nests, how creative!!!!!
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Thanks Norma, I can’t take credit, they are all over the net!
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I love lemon and almond together. What a great recipe.
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Thanks Greg. The marshmallow frosting tasted like real marshmallow!
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These really are special, Eva. That set of them on the stand is something else, perfect for Easter! And when the resident taster & critic (JT) wants 2 held in reserve, for himself, well, that’s about the best review one can receive. 🙂
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You are always so generous with your comments, John, thank you.
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Very cute cupcakes. I had sugar cookies to celebrate Easter … not very elaborate. 🙂 Love the bunny napkins. Happy Easter.
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Thank you Maria, the napkins were a gift from my brother’s MIL.
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These are adorable.. I love the little nest of eggs on top:) You are an excellent baker, I think! I hope you had a wonderful Easter.. some day I hope to get to the Muskokas… xo Smidge
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Thanks Smidge, the cupcakes were quite successful! I like my brother’s cottage but there is something to be said about a quiet uncomplicated weekend at a more remote location.
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Creatively perfect Easter treats. I would have had a field day if I was still a kid and saw these. Enjoy your Monday off!
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Thanks Jed, I think my niece and nephew will go nuts next weekend when the cupcakes rear their heads again!
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I’m not much for cupcakes or peeps, Eva, but I think the peep-topped and nest cupcakes look adorable.
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They really were for the kids, Sharyn. For some reason the kids love them!
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Now these would be my kind of cupcakes! I don’t have the patience for the fancy ones either. Sounds like they are quite tasty too and I’m all for fluffy cupcakes. 🙂
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Thanks Kristy. The icing was super easy too!
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Love the cupcakes and frosting! So pretty!!!
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Thank you kindly, Asmita.
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Those cupcakes with marshmallow frosting are really AWESOME!
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Thanks Angie. I’m really hoping the leftover frosting survives so I don’t have to make it again.
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Oh Eva, when I am in awe of all your kitchen creations it was so kind of you to mention Hotly Spiced! I love your Easter Egg cupcakes. They are gorgeous and that marshmallow icing is to die for! I could definitely gobble down a few of these. And as for your Titanic dinner party – I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation! And what a fabulous part of the world you are in – do take lots of pictures! xx
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Thank you Charlie! You inspired me to make the peeps that lead to the cupcakes (which BTW, were HUGE SUCCESS!!!) And I will likely only use home made marshmallows ever again! The frosting was very tasty, I would recommend it. Thanks again!
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