Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 0.8 cup confectioners' sugar 
• 30 servings lemon cream icing 
• 4  eggs at room temperature
• 2 cups heavy cream chilled
• 1.5 tablespoons juice of lemon fresh
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 3 cups self-rising flour 
• 1 cup butter unsalted at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 cups sugar white
• 1 cup milk whole divided

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• blender
• hand mixer
• toothpicks
• muffin liners
• muffin tray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.
2. Sift the self-rising flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated before adding the next.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
4. Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, one third at a time, alternating with half the milk and half the lemon juice after each of the first 2 additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not over mix.
5. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
7. To make the icing, beat the cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer set on Low until the cream begins to thicken.
8. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to High, and beat until the icing forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
9. Spread on the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.