Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes

Brooke Alicia's Note:

This recipe is from the April 2008 Bon Appetit. The cupcakes were haunting me on the front cover and I had to make them. They turned out light and fluffy and great!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 12.0 Cupcakes

• ¾ cup unsalted butter , room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar , divided
• 4 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel , divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cups self-rising flour
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , divided
• 12 teaspoons seedless raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
• 12 fresh raspberries , for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in large bowl until blended, then beat until fluffy and pale yellow.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition.
4. Beat in half of flour.
5. Add buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, beating to blend.
6. Beat in remaining flour.
7. Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of batterinto each muffin liner.
8. Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jame over.
9. Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.
10. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted halfway into centers comes out clean, about 23 minutes.
11. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack.
12. Meanwhile, for the icing, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl.
13. Spoon half of icing over 6 cupcakes.
14. Whisk 1 tablespoon raspberry jam into remaining icing and spoon over remaining cupcakes.
15. Let stand until icing sets, about 30 minutes.
16. Garnish with raspberries.