Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Lemon cake with raspberry jam inside and a raspberry buttercream made to benefit Farm of the Child. The tart lemon and raspberry are a perfect combination!

What a week! Thank heaven for interns! My intern James has been saving my sanity this week. In recovery mode from the bake-athon of last week.....well....I may have missed some work. James is so cute! He's still too young to have had his soul crushed by the working world. He works so hard! Bless his littler heart.

Either way these were made to celebrate my past intern Mary Kate as part of the bakesale!

I've said it once and I'll say it again, DC would not function without interns!

Lemon Buttermilk Raspberry Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

3 extra-large eggs

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

seedless raspberry jam

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper wrappers Beat sugar, butter and lemon peel in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Divide batter among prepared pans along with a dollop of raspberry jam. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

Raspberry Jam Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar

raspberry jam to taste (about ½ cup for me)

Whip butter, salt, and vanilla till creamy then whip in powdered sugar in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Beat on a medium speed until light and fluffy. Add jam and continue until incorporated.