Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Don’t let this recipe intimidate you. These are well worth the work. Since this recipe has 3 different parts, you can make each of them and keep them until ready to use. For the frosting, you can leave it on the counter or refrigerate it. If I refrigerate the frosting, I always let it come to room temperature and re-fluff it in my mixer before frosting the cupcakes. These cupcakes freeze wonderfully if you would like to make them ahead of time.

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the first 5 ingredients (flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt). Mix on low speed until combined.

Add butter in cubes, mixing until just coated with flour. Whisk together eggs, milk, lemonade concentrate, and lemon zest.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated, but do not over-beat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd:

Juice 2 to 3 lemons to get 1/2 cup lemon juice and set aside. Whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a double boiler. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Cook and stir continuously over medium heat until thick (takes approximately 30 minutes).

Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Frosting (Raspberry Swiss Meringue):

Put egg whites and sugar into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (160 degrees).

Pour egg mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff peaks, fluffy and cooled, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add room temperature butter two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 7 minutes.

Reduce speed to low; add raspberry jam and continue beating for 5 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. (This could take longer. Beat until thick enough to pipe onto cupcakes.)

To assemble:

Using a pastry bag filled with lemon curd, fill the center of each cupcake.

Fill a second pastry bag, fitted with a 1 M tip, with the raspberry Swiss meringue frosting and pipe on the tops of the cupcakes. Enjoy!

(These can be refrigerated, but you should let them come to room temperature before serving.)