Elderflower and lemon cupcakes recipe
These pretty cupcakes are perfect for a celebration or afternoon tea with their fluffy sponge and gorgeous swirl of buttercream icing (see tip, below). The combination of sweet, floral elderflower and tangy lemon is a classic summer combo, topped off with tart raspberries for a simple decoration.
See method- Serves 12
- 20 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook, plus cooling
- 502 calories / serving
Ingredients
- 185g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 185g caster sugar
- 185g unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ tbsp elderflower cordial
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp milk
For the icing
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g icing sugar
- 3 tbsp elderflower cordial
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- raspberries, to decorate
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 2100kJ 502.0kcal
- Fat
- 27g
- Saturates
- 16g
- Salt
- 0.3g
- Sugars
- 47g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 60.8gProtein 3.8gFibre 0.5g
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the elderflower cordial and lemon zest and stir to combine.
- Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder using a large metal spoon. Finally stir in the milk.
- Divide the mixture between the cases – they should be about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 mins, until lightly golden and springy to touch, then remove the cakes from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- To make the buttercream icing, add the softened butter, icing sugar and cordial to a large bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in a little of the lemon juice to taste, adding more as needed to balance the cordial but without making the icing runny.
- Once completely cool, fit a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and pipe the icing in a swirl onto each cupcake. Decorate with a few fresh raspberries and strips of lemon zest.
- Tip: If you don’t have a piping bag or star-shaped nozzle, you can easily spread the icing onto each cake. Place a heaped spoonful of icing onto the top of each cake then use a palette or blunt knife to swirl outwards from the middle, forming a nest shape for the raspberries to sit in.
- See more Baking recipes
Freezing guidelines
The cakes (without icing) are suitable for freezing. Make the cupcakes up to the end of step 4, cool completely, and then pack into a freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before icing and decorating.
