Citrus…. it makes me think of summer breezes, barbeques and enjoying fruity and refreshing drinks outside on a warm evening. But alas, it is still winter here in Colorado and the snow-covered mountains are a daily reminder of that fact. So, what better way to bring summer flavors to Colorado than by making Triple Citrus Cupcakes. Also, I was surprised to learn that citrus fruits are in season during the winter months – so this is the perfect time!
Okay, lets see what Martha has in store for us this time…click here for the recipe.
Mise en place
Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter (1 pound!) and sugar until pale and fluffy and then add orange, lemon and lime zest.
After adding the vanilla, add the eggs (3 at a time) and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add the flour.
After baking, this is what they look like. I was a little bit concerned because of the lack of leavening in the recipe. But, the cupcakes rose quite nicely and the texture was very dense, almost like pound cake. My guess is that because of the large number of eggs, this helped to stabilize the batter.
As a final touch, the recipe called for a citrus glaze that the cupcakes would be dipped into. I did this for one half of the cupcakes, but I used a Lemon Lime Cream Cheese Frosting for the other half.
Here are some pictures of the final product. I have to say that these cupcakes were very different; they were dense, citrusy and not too sweet. They reminded me of muffins; not a bad thing! I think these would be perfect as a breakfast treat – probably glazed, not frosted!
If you’re looking for a supersweet and light textured cupcake, this one is not for you. But, if you enjoy tart citrus flavors, you will love this. Try it!
Stay tuned,
Sweet Joan
Sweet Joan 