Here’s what
you need:
For the
cupcake:
1 ¼ C all-purpose
flour
¼ C sliced
almonds
¾ t baking
powder
¼ t baking
soda
¼ t salt
2 Ener-G Egg
Replacer ‘eggs’ (3 t Ener-G powder and 4 T warm water. Whisk well and set aside
to thicken)
¾ C sugar
½ C nondairy
milk (I used almond)
1 ½ t lemon
juice
½ C
vegetable oil
1 T finely
grated lemon zest
2 T fresh
lemon juice
For the
frosting:
2-3 C
powdered sugar
¼ C Earth
Balance non-dairy butter, room temperature
¼ C fresh
lemon juice
Zest from
one lemon
Tiny, tiny
bit of yellow food coloring (1/2 drop or less! Use a toothpick to add it)
For the
candied lemon peel:
4 lemons
¾ C sugar
¾ C water
Here’s what
you do:
Make the
candied zest: remove the lemon peel carefully, avoiding the white pithy
part with a vegetable peeler. Slice into very thin strands. Place in small
sauce pan, cover with water, bring to a simmer, drain. Repeat this process two
more times. You will be amazed at how much bitterness washes away from the
zest.
Bring the
sugar and water to a simmer in another pan and stir until the sugar is
dissolved. Add the lemon zest and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes –
watching carefully. Drain the zest and arrange in clumps on parchment paper.
Allow to dry and pull the strands apart. Store zest buried in white sugar.
Make the
cupcakes: Place the flour and almonds in a food processor and pulse until
the nuts are finely chopped. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Pulse to combine.
Add the 1 ½ t
lemon juice to the almond milk to create sour milk (a great buttermilk swap). Allow to sit for a few minutes. Pour the
prepared Ener-G eggs into a large bowl. Add the sugar, the sour milk, the oil,
the zest and the lemon juice. Mix well.
Add the dry
ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated. Fill
prepared cupcake tins about ¾ full. I think you should spray the paper cups to
insure that the cupcake comes out nicely. Bake 350 for about 16-18 minutes –
checking at the 12 minute mark. They are done when a toothpick inserted into
the puffiest part of the cupcake comes out cleanly. Allow to cool completely before
frosting.
Make the
frosting: Place the soft butter in a large bowl (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer
for this). Mix the butter until fluffy – about a minute. Slowly add 1 C
powdered sugar, incorporating well and scraping down the sides. Add the lemon
juice, lemon zest, food coloring (just a tiny, tiny bit! You don’t want your frosting to look like egg
yolks!) Slowly add the remaining sugar until you have a perfect spreading consistency.
Frost the
cupcakes and decorate with the candied lemon zest. Beautiful!
