FRESH LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON SYRUP - Wolfgang Puck

FRESH LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON SYRUP - Wolfgang Puck
Makes 1 dozen

CUPCAKES:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 organic lemons, zest grated and reserved, fruit halved and squeezed to yield 2 tablespoons juice
3 large cage-free eggs, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup organic buttermilk

SYRUP:
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the cups of a 12-cup standard-sized (1/2-cup) muffin or cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Fit an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, insert the beaters into a hand-held electric mixer.

Put the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of the stand mixer or in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until the mixture is very light, pale, and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping two or three times to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Into another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

One at a time, beat the eggs into the butter mixture until fully incorporated, stopping after each egg to scrape down the bowl. Beating continuously, beat in the 2 tablespoons lemon juice until fully incorporated.

On low speed, alternately beat in the buttermilk and the sifted flour mixture in three batches each until fully incorporated.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the cupcakes until they are deep golden brown and slightly firm to a light touch, and a thin wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 to 15 minutes total time, rotating the pan 180 degrees about halfway through the baking time.

As soon as the cupcakes start baking, begin making the syrup. Put the sugar and lemon juice in a nonreactive saucepan. Stirring frequently, cook the mixture over medium-high heat. As soon as the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to a syrupy but still pourable consistency.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a wire rack. With a thin skewer, poke holes all over the hot cupcakes. Generously and repeatedly brush the lemon syrup all over them, until they have soaked up as much of the syrup as they can. (You may have leftover syrup, which can be refrigerated and used to sweeten other desserts or iced tea.)

Serve the cupcakes warm or at room temperature.