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Lemon Mint Cupcakes
Mint overruns my garden in late summer. I like to pick leaves and use them right away for the most intense flavor. Mix a handful of minced leaves in cupcake batter and pair with a burst of lemon flavor for the perfect summertime treat. This recipe relies on whipped egg whites and not chemical leavening to lift the batter while it bakes.
Prep batter: 1 hour
Bake: 22-24 minutes
Bake at: 350°
Pan: 12-cup standard muffin tin
Prep frosting: 10 minutes
Makes: 12 cupcakes
Difficulty: intermediate
Ingredients:
Cupcake Batter:
1/2 cup (6g) fresh mint leaves, minced
Grated rind of 1 lemon (1 teaspoon)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons (232g) cake flour
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten, room temperature
4 large egg whites, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (320g) light brown sugar (packed), divided
Cupcake liners
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 cups (224g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (26g) light brown sugar
Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Food color (optional)
Sanding sugar (optional)
Directions:
Bring all cupcake batter ingredients to room temperature.
To make cupcake batter: Mince the mint leaves and set aside. Grate the rind of 1 lemon, measure lemon juice for both batter and frosting, divide as directed and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift flour with salt.
Separate 4 egg whites into a large, clean mixing bowl and place 5 yolks into a small bowl. Lightly beat the egg yolks with a whisk or fork.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter at medium speed until whipped, about 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 cup (164g) of the light brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes .
Starting and ending with dry ingredients, alternate folding in flour mixture by hand with egg yolks, lemon rind and juice until each addition is almost incorporated. Fully incorporate the final flour addition. Fold mint into batter.
Use clean beaters and bowl to whip egg whites until foamy. Before peaks form, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup (82g) light brown sugar a little bit at a time and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 parts.
Insert cupcake liners into 12 muffin cups. Divide batter evenly between cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake 22-24 minutes at 350° until cupcakes spring back to the touch. Immediately turn cupcakes out onto a wire rack to cool upside down.
To make frosting: Cream softened butter and cream cheese with light brown sugar and salt for 3-5 minutes. Add sifted confectioners' sugar in two parts and beat 2-3 minutes after each addition until thoroughly incorporated. Add up to 1 tablespoon lemon juice to make spreadable consistency. Add food color as desired. Pipe or spread frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.
Cupcakes can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 4 days and frozen for 3 weeks.
Tips:
- When piping with a large, round tip, make extra frosting. Make less frosting (start with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar) if you spread onto cupcakes.
- If you prefer, you can omit mint in cupcakes.