Emily Made That: Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

I think spring has officially sprung! It has here, anyway. It seemed for a while we would have one absolutely gorgeous day, and then the next morning out of no where we would get hit with a blizzard...silly New England weather! I made this recipe as a step of faith, praying that with these light, refreshing cupcakes would also come the warm days of spring. I'm pretty sure it worked {finger's crossed}, and I hope these cupcakes bring a little bit of spring into your kitchen, whatever season you happen to be in.

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Yields 24+

Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/4 cup almond milk

4 egg whites

lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter substitute

1 tsp vanilla

lemon juice from half of a lemon

Frosting:

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 tbsp vanilla

zest from half of a lemon

5 raspberries

2 tbsp almond milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk and egg whites; set aside.

In a large bowl, use your {clean!!!} fingers to mix together the sugar and lemon zest. Mix until the sugar seems slightly damp and tinted a very very light yellow.

Add the butter substitute and beat with an electric mixer until all of the sugar is combined, then add the vanilla and lemon juice.

While still beating, alternate adding half of the flour mixture, then half of the egg white/almond milk mixture until they are both completely combined.

Fill cupcake cups halfway, and bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes.

For the frosting, sift the confectioner's sugar over the shortening a cup at a time, and beat until each cup is combined.

Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and raspberries, and beat until the raspberries are split apart and evenly combined in the frosting. Add the almond milk to reach your desired consistency.

Pipe with a circle tip onto the cooled cupcakes.