Spiked Raspberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

Spiked Raspberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons raspberry extract or 
liqueur 
2/3 cup buttermilk
Red food coloring
1 recipe Creamy Raspberry Frosting (see below)
Thin lemon wedges (optional)
Fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions:

1.Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line eighteen 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and liqueur; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Tint batter pink with a few drops of food coloring.

3.Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.

4.Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

Creamy Raspberry Frosting

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
7 - 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons raspberry extract or liqueur
5 drops red food coloring

Directions:

Allow butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in milk, liqueur, and food coloring. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading or piping consistency.

Recipe shared from-http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/spiked-raspberry-lemonade-cupcakes/