A Pretty Perfect Weekend/ Lemon Cupcakes

I suppose when you pretty much declare for yourself a four day weekend, good things are bound to happen and that's basically what I did this weekend.  I worked from home on Friday, followed by making beautiful little (actually they were quite large) lemon cupcakes for my grandmother's birthday (recipe below).  My grandma lives in a nursing home now and we took her out to an Italian restaurant near it.  This made my day a bit more interesting as it took me an hour and forty minutes to get there in rush hour traffic and I had to be back downtown by 9 pm for a party at the Art Institute.  It was a very lovely dinner though and I made it at 9:30, which wasn't bad all things considered.

Art Institute: After Dark

The After Dark: Experience Roy Lichtenstein event was so much fun and definitely something I'd love to do again.  In honor of the exhibit, the Art Institute had a DJ and cash bar, along with appetizers, a beautiful outdoor patio, people dressed up miming Lichtenstein art as well as a crafts table where we were allowed to cut up magazines and create collages a la pop art.  We were also free to roam the actual exhibit.  Let's be honest, you just sound classy saying you're going to an evening event at the Art Institute of Chicago.  In any case, the event was very well done.

Creating Pop Art!

The next day brought absolutely gorgeous summer weather which I enjoyed by going shopping (logical... right?), Blues Fest in Grant Park, having a few drinks on a boat, and eventually karaoke.  I'd say that's an ideal night for me.  I got to rock out some Journey's "Separate Ways" and devour a late night burrito.   Sunday was spent boating with my best from high school and family and friends so yeah... perfect weekend.

Today I took another work from home day and my parents helped me install (OK, they installed; I cheered) a new microwave.  I've been without one for over a year and while things do taste better and stay hotter when heated in the oven or on the stove, I'm thrilled to have this back in my life.  You really start to miss little things like softening butter, or heating a side of vegetables to go with an entree.  Now the only remaining thing in my place to be fixed or replaced is the dishwasher and I'll have a fully functional condo!

OK, Lemon Cupcake recipe!  (I even made the sugar sprinkles via something I saw on Pinterest, but they didn't come out quite like the picture :( ).  Recipe largely based on The Cupcakery

For once I made regular sized cupcakes and wow, it's a lot easier.  I cut the recipe in half, which worked well.  I remember reading somewhere that you can't do that because it creates an imbalance in the chemistry or something.  I don't know anything scientific about baking.  I just mix things in a bowl and hope for the best and these turned out delicious.

Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice  (I actually through in a quick drop of lemon extract as well and I didn't measure the lemon juice.  Just poured.  Mine came out very lemony)

1. Preheat oven to 325° degrees.

2. Line cupcake pan with mini baking cups. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 4 minutes.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time until the mixture becomes creamy.


5. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt together. Whisk to combine.

6. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk until completely incorporated.

7. Add the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Mix batter for an additional minute. Mixture should look light and fluffy.

8. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners and bake for 17 to 23 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. (I had to go a little longer because rather than use another cupcake tray and make more, I just made mine bigger). 




Lemon Buttercream Frosting: (I'm not gonna lie... I don't measure anything when I make frosting.  I just mix and add until it tastes the way I want.) 


4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (or somewhere around a stick)
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole milk (I didn't buy whole milk.  I mixed a splash of skim with a splash of heavy cream)
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and salt for about 30 seconds.

2. Add half of the powdered sugar and the milk to the butter and beat again until combined. Scrape down the bowl.

3. Add the remainder of the powdered sugar, extract, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl again.


I added a few drops of yellow food coloring since it looked white and boring.  I frosted them using a star tip on the pastry bag and made my own sugar sprinkles by combining regular sugar and a few drops of food coloring (shaking in a tightly sealed container until thoroughly mixed) and then baking for 10 minutes.  The picture I saw on Pinterest made it look like it would come out really glittery.  It looks exactly like the sugar you buy at the store.  I was a little disappointed.  But it worked.  I made pink and yellow.  


Lastly in my life: My lips are crazy sunburnt and chapped and it hurts.  OK.  The end.