Lemon-Ricotta Cupcakes with Fluffy Lemon Frosting. The perfect cupcake!

When my fiancé gifted me with a kitchen aid mixer, it seriously changed the game at home. Full disclosure: I’m not much of a baker. I love to decorate cupcakes & cookies occasionally, but I don’t have the same passion for baking as I do cooking. I would much rather make Halloumi Saganaki with Strawberry Salsa instead of a cupcake any day.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE+ALBANIAN HONEY+RICOTTA+EGGS+LEMON ZEST

Except for mayyyyybe this cupcake! This bad boy is pretty much perfect. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this recipe the other day while going through old pages I had ripped out from magazines. Coming from a girl who isn’t crazy about cupcakes; you need to try these! Maybe the reason I love them so much is because they’re not too sweet. The lemon zest+ricotta+crème fraîche really bring something different to the table. These may be the best cupcake I’ve ever had!

Delicious honey from the mountains of Albania

MY FAVORITE EGGS FROM ‘LONELY MOUNTAIN FARMS’. I LOVE HOW EACH EGG IS ALWAYS UNIQUE!

APOLOGIZE WITH THESE CUPCAKES AND YOU WILL FORGIVEN!!

Lemon-Ricotta Cupcakes with Fluffy Lemon Frosting

 

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Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 40 mins

 

Make ahead tip! The cupcakes can be refrigerated or 2 days.

Author: Joanne Chang foodandwine.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• FROSTING
• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• CUPCAKES
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅔ cup honey
• ½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ cup creme fraiche

Instructions

1. Make the frosting in a medium bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
2. Scrape dow the side of the bowl. Add butter and 1 tablespoon lemon zest and beat until incorporated.
3. Beat in the honey, vanilla and salt.
4. Cover and refrigerate until firm and spreadable, about 3 hours.
5. Meanwhile lets make the cupcakes..
6. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt.
8. In another medium bowl, whisk the honey with the ricotta, vegetable oil, lemon zest and vanilla
9. Whisk in the eggs and yolk
10. Whisk in one-third of flour mixture just until incorporated, then whisk in half of the creme fraiche until smooth, scrapping down the side and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
11. Fold in the remaining flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the remaining creme fraiche until well incorporated.
12. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes, until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.
14. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with lemon zest.

Notes

Make ahead tip! The cupcakes can be refrigerated or 2 days.

3.2.1311

The post Lemon-Ricotta Cupcakes with Fluffy Lemon Frosting appeared first on The Peony Life.

REFRESHING SALAD YOU CAN ENJOY IN THE HEAT!

If you were to open my fridge at any given time, you could pretty much guarantee there would be watermelon inside. It’s definitely my favorite fruit; I often snack on it when I’m blogging. Sounds messy right? Nah! Watermelon is simply misunderstood.

I texted my mom the other day asking her why we didn’t have watermelon when I was growing up. I remember eating it at my friends houses but never at home. I thought maybe it was really expensive and my mom was just being economical(totally something she would do). She responded, explaining it was too high maintenance; it wasn’t about price.

Watermelons are heavy and super annoying to carry home (if you walk to the grocery store like me), but I wouldn’t say they’re high maintenance. What works really well for me is cutting the watermelon right away into larger pieces and storing them in a big tupperware in the fridge. This takes max 10 minutes and you have a healthy & accessible snack, available all week.

CUT WHOLE WATERMELON INTO PIECES AND STORE IN THE FRIDGE FOR A HEALTHY AND ACCESSIBLE SNACK.

When it’s hot out, I don’t have much of an appetite and really try to avoid using the oven. I usually make salads or cold soups during heats waves; using the oven makes our apartment unbearable. I feel like our bodies normally crave foods like that in the summertime anyway. Am I right? It’s such a refreshing fruit and it helps to keep you hydrated, because it’s made up of mostly water and is rich in electrolytes.

SAMPLE SOME OF THE 18 TYPES OF WATERMELON THIS SUMMER!

You want to look for a watermelon that is firm and free of major bruises. This may sound silly but a ripe watermelon should be heavy for it’s size. All watermelons have a creamy yellow ‘ground spot’ where they sat in the ground, soaking up the sun. Watermelons can keep out of the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Once cut, store in a container and keep in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy this Sinfully Simple Watermelon Salad as much as I do!

Sinfully Simple Watermelon Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 cups watermelon, largely diced
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled and largely diced
• ⅛ cup feta cheese
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• garnish with lime wedge

Instructions

1. Combine watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese in a large bowl. Pour lime juice over mixture and sprinkle with mint. Top salad with toasted sliced almonds or black sesame seeds.

3.3.3077

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