Think Pink - Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup lemon or raspberry yogurt
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon oil or lemon extract
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter and egg until smooth. Add the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract/oil to the wet mixture and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until smooth. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat again until smooth. Line each well of a muffin tin with baking cups. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each well. Drop a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each well. Then add another tablespoon of batter on top. Repeat this step until each well is about 2/3 full. Dip a toothpick into each muffin well and swirl it around a little to marbleize the jam and batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 20-30 minutes.

For the frosting:
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
1 tbsp. lemon concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp. raspberry extract

2. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Frost each cupcake with a piping bag. Sprinkle with pink sugar for an extra hint of pink.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes.

For an extra boost of pink, try baking these cupcakes in pink baking cups. A light pink will create a softer look, and a hot pink will create a big pop!