Description
Delightful lemon, thyme, and rosemary cupcakes blend Mediterranean herbs with zesty citrus in a sophisticated dessert. Herb-infused cakes offer a refreshing twist for sophisticated palates seeking culinary adventure.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3.5 cups (438 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2.25 cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 2.5 cups (567 grams) mascarpone cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- 1 cup (240 ml) lemon curd
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 4 tsp (20 ml) fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Creaming: Vigorously blend butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Integrate eggs one at a time, ensuring complete incorporation. Fold in egg white smoothly.
- Liquid Infusion: Combine milk, vanilla extract, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Alternately mix flour and herbal milk into the butter-sugar base, starting and ending with flour. Blend until just combined.
- Batter Refinement: Add fresh lemon juice and stir until batter reaches a silky consistency. Distribute batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Baking and Cooling: Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Rest cupcakes in tin for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frosting Creation: Whisk mascarpone cheese, lemon curd, chopped thyme, and rosemary until smooth and creamy.
- Finishing Touch: Once cooled, generously spread herbal mascarpone frosting on cupcakes. Garnish with additional lemon zest or herb sprigs for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Optimize Herb Infusion: Finely chop rosemary and thyme to release maximum flavor without overwhelming the delicate cupcake base. Bruise herbs gently before chopping to enhance their aromatic oils.
- Prevent Herb Sinking: Toss chopped herbs with a tablespoon of flour before adding to the batter to ensure even distribution and prevent herbs from settling at the bottom of the cupcakes.
- Master Moisture Balance: Don’t overmix the batter to keep cupcakes tender. Stop mixing as soon as ingredients are just combined to maintain a light, airy texture that doesn’t become dense or tough.
- Adapt for Dietary Needs: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version. Replace butter with dairy-free alternative and use coconut cream instead of mascarpone to create a vegan-friendly adaptation of these fragrant cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg