Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

It was my mom's birthday last weekend and I decided to bake her a batch of these sweet and tart delights. I found the recipe online and while they were good...in the future I will choose to go with a cream cheese frosting rather than the sugar icing...it was too sweet and I'm not fond of super sweet desserts.

These were also a treat since fresh raspberries pretty much cost an arm and a leg here...so it would not be in my usual baking repertoire but wonderful for special occasions...I suppose you could also do without the fresh raspberry as decor...I added in lemon peels which I cut into heart shapes and candied just to make them even more perfect for mom.

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
12 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
Fresh raspberries (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 175°C. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in large bowl until blended, then beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in half of flour. Add buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; beat to blend. Beat in remaining flour.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin liner. Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over. Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted halfway into centers comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack. Meanwhile, whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl. Spoon half of icing over 6 cupcakes. Whisk 1 tablespoon raspberry jam into remaining icing. Spoon over remaining cupcakes. Let stand until icing sets, about 30 minutes. Garnish with raspberries.