Yellow Cupcakes

As I mentioned on Monday, I made yet another dessert for this month's family game night. Even before I knew it was going to be a warm weekend, I wanted to make something light to celebrate the fact that it's finally spring. I'd made Marjorie Johnson's Chocolate Cupcakes several times before but had never tried the yellow ones. They were wonderfully soft and fluffy, as I expected, though they looked much more white than yellow to me - at least on the inside. In the cookbook they're paired with a lemon buttercream frosting, which was also quite tasty, but I'm also thinking I might experiment with different frostings on these in the future.

I sorta like that shadow because it was from the glorious sun shining through our window!

One funny moment - while telling the gang what I'd made, I added that I'd wanted to prove I could bake something that didn't involve chocolate. My father-in-law gave a simple and perfect response: "Why?" :-)

Oops, I got distracted.

Yellow Cupcakes (From The Road to Blue Ribbon Baking with Marjorie)

Batter:
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
3 eggs

In a large bowl stir together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening, butter, vanilla and 2/3 cup of the milk. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add remaining milk and eggs and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
1/3 cup butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp whipping cream

Mix together butter, lemon juice, and half of the powdered sugar. Add orange zest, cream, and the rest of the powdered sugar. Beat together until spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.