Lemon Yogurt Cake

Every time I make this cake my photo is absolutely horrible.  The cake is delicious, despite my inability to photograph it.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the coconut oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Lemon Poppy Seed Granola

Oh my, this granola is so good! Very zingy with tons of lemon flavor.

Lemon Poppy Seed Granola
adapted from Dessert for Two

1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened, if possible)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. honey
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a small cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, lemon zest, poppy seeds, salt and sunflower seeds.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, honey, lemon juice and almond extract. Once thoroughly melted, add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Spread granola evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Stir well (the edges of the pan will brown faster). Bake for another 7-9 minutes until golden brown. Check often so it doesn't burn. Serve with yogurt.

Meyer Lemon Pancakes

Since my last Meyer lemon spree, I bought another bag, knowing it was only a matter of time until they disappeared till next year. These pancakes are fluffy and lemony and excellent topped with fruit. Here I threw some frozen blueberries and a splash of maple syrup into a small saucepan and simmered for a few minutes until juicy and thawed. I can't wait for local, fresh berries to be available.

Meyer Lemon Pancakes
adapted from Olla Podrida

1 cup all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
1/3 cup almond milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp. Meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon juice)
1 tbsp. Meyer lemon zest (or regular lemon zest)
1 tbsp. unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and melted butter until smooth. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir batter until combined. Batter will be thick.

Preheat a nonstick griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat, until a drop of water will skitter around the surface of the pan. Lightly grease and then, using a fourth-cup measuring cup, spoon batter onto hot surface. Cook until golden, then flip the pancakes and cook until golden on the other side. Makes 6-8 pancakes.

Meyer Lemon Cardamom Crepes

Like the shortbread cookies in the last post, the flavor of these crepes is subtle but delightful. Meyer lemon could be substituted with regular lemon, but then the lemon flavor will be more prominent, which is not a bad thing. I thought the crepes were a little too sweet, so next year when I make these again, I'll probably try half the sugar.

Meyer Lemon Cardamom Crepes
adapted from Fahrenbite

4 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c. wheat flour
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cardamom
2 c. almond milk
3 eggs
1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced (use only half the lemon for the juice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a crepe pan or other non-stick pan, making sure not to let it burn. Let the pan cool.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and cardamom in a big bowl. Add the milk, little by little and stir vigorously to get rid of any lumps. Add the eggs and stir. Add the melted butter from the pan, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract and stir.

Reheat the greased pan at medium-high. When the butter is sizzling, hold the pan with one hand and pour the batter into the pan with the other. Hold the pan at an angle when you pour the batter and slowly move in a circle to make a very thin crepe. Add little drops of batter if there are any holes in the cooking crêpe where needed.

Flip over the crepe with a spatula when light brown edges are showing. Cook for approximately 10-15 seconds on the other side.

Place the cooked crepe on a plate, with foil to cover to keep warm until served. Enjoy with desired toppings (fruit or Meyer lemon curd tastes great!)

Lemon Lavender Shortbread

More Meyer lemon love - this recipe works with lemons or Meyer lemons. The lavender (use culinary grade) adds such a delicate, sophisticated flavor and aroma. Shortbread isn't the type of treat I gravitate towards, but I'm not sure why. These cookies are delightful and pretty.

Lemon Lavender Shortbread
from Pastry Affair

1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup (45 grams) powdered sugar
Zest of 2 lemons, divided (or Meyer lemons)
1/2 teaspoon lavender buds, ground or chopped finely
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, zest of 1 lemon, lavender, vanilla, and salt until the mixture looks like a coarse sand. Mix in the flour until the dough comes together.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining lemon zest and granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out shortbread un 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle on the lemon scented sugar and lightly press it into the shortbread with the rolling pin. Cut out shapes and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Meyer lemon season is nearing an end, and I have a few meyer lemon recipes to share. Meyer lemons have one of my favorite scents. I love lemon scent, but there is something magical about Meyer lemon.

I've been wanting to try a curd recipe for a while. This one was easy and delicious. I mainly ate it with some Meyer lemon crepes that I'll post - simply delightful.

Meyer Lemon Curd
from Craving Chronicles

1/2 cup granulated sugar
zest of 2 Meyer lemons
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (about 3-4 large lemons)
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

Add all ingredients except butter to a saucepan over low heat. Whisk to combine. Add butter. Continue whisking gently but constantly, heating slowly, until curd thickens and reaches 160°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove from heat.

For the smoothest curd, pour through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a storage container. Cover and refrigerate overnight before use. Curd keeps up to 1 week in the fridge.

Lemon Parmesan Risotto

This is a simple recipe, but the kind you can make over and over and not get tired of. A basic risotto flavored with lemon and Parmesan (I always have those on hand) is an excellent side dish for so many things. Add a simply prepared chicken breast and green salad, and you've got a restaurant meal.

Lemon and Parmesan Risotto
adapted from Gratinee Blog

2 Tbsp. butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups arborio rice
3 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter, extra
salt and black pepper


Place the stock in a separate saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, oil, and onions; cook for 6-8 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the rice and lemon rind to the onion mixture and stir for 2 minutes, or until the rice is translucent.

Add the hot stock 1 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until each cup of stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente. This should take 25-30 minutes. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Lemon Bars

I make lemon bars every once in a blue moon. This recipe is a keeper, definitely. I actually made these with Meyer lemons for a slightly less tangy bar, but regular lemons would be fabulous too.

Lemon Bars
adapted from Bon Appetit

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice ( or meyer lemons)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom of 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Maintain oven temperature.

Beat eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Pour into crust. Bake until mixture is set, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Cut into bars. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving.

Lemon Fritters

I tagged these fritters back in August and kept thinking about them until a few weeks ago, when I finally gave in and made them. I only made half the recipe, and I recommend only making what you can eat while they are warm.

Lemon Fritters
adapted from Tartelette

1 -2 cups canola oil
1 cup sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
2 eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Heat oil in medium large cast iron pan (or other heavy pan) until temperature reaches 375F.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, juice and eggs until well blended. Add the flour and baking powder, along with the milk. Mix well until the mixture is smooth. Drop by large spoonfuls into the hot oil. Do not over crowd the pan or it will lower the heat too much and you will end up with soggy fritters. Let cook for 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes about 20 to 30 small fritters.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

These cookies are addicting. Lemon flavor is always welcome, and so are cookies. What's not to love?

Lemon Crinkle Cookies
from Lauren's Latest

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Lemon-Zested Bulgur Wheat

My continued quest to incorporate more whole foods into my diet not only includes fruits and vegetables, but also whole grains. I just checked out a great cookbook from the library called Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck. The introductory section has a section that gives basic information about many different grains and their common preparation. It's very helpful and I can't wait to try some of the recipes too.

From the book, I learned that bulgur wheat, which is made by boiling whole wheat, and then drying and cracking it, has the bran removed but still has a high amount of fiber (higher than some other whole grains like quinoa). It is sold in various sizes, like fine, medium and coarse, and the size will affect the cooking time. So while bulgur is not a strict whole grain because it has been processed, it is still very healthy and worth eating. Let's face it - whole wheat is usually changed or processed in some manner so that it's more edible, and bulgur is a valuable product.

Heidi Swanson is a genius - this simple preparation for bulgur was delish. Try this breakfast cereal alternative to expand your grain-cooking repertoire.

Lemon-Zested Bulgur Wheat
from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

1 cup coconut milk
about 1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fine or medium bulgur
1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey, or to taste
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the coconut milk and 3/4 cup of the water to a simmer. Stir in the bulgur, bring the mixture just to a boil, then dial down the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring often, for 5 to 20 minutes, or until the bulgur is creamy but still retains some texture. The size of the bulgur grains will dictate how long they need to cook. If the liquid in the pan is absorbed before the bulgur has fully cooked, stir in more water, 1/4 cup at a time, until done. Stir in the poppy seeds, lemon zest, and honey. Serve hot in individual bowls topped with the toasted almonds. Serves 4.

Dessert Crepes

Dessert crepes are so easy and so wonderful. They are extra easy if you make the crepes (see this recipe) ahead of time and freeze them (stack with wax paper in between each crepe and store in a gallon-sized ziploc bag). When ready to serve, warm them in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave.

Crepes with Nutella and Strawberries

crepes
Nutella
strawberries, sliced

On a warm crepe, spread Nutella. Roll up crepe and top with strawberries. Voilà!

Crepes with Lemon and Sugar

crepes
fresh lemon juice
granulated sugar

On a warm crepe drizzle fresh lemon juice. Then sprinkle sugar on top to soak up the lemon juice. Roll up crepe and enjoy.

Cheesy Eggs and Little Citrus Muffins

It's the day before Easter, and though I have a lot to do today, I can hardly resist making a fun breakfast. Tomorrow morning will be rushed, so this is my early Easter breakfast.

I love eggs, especially this recipe for cheesy eggs. It may be my favorite way to eat eggs. With sauteed garlic, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, these eggs are transformed into a savory, creamy blend of yumminess. OK, maybe that wasn't a good description, but you get the idea -- I really love these eggs! Look how these pretty eggs from a local farm matched my napkin (the right one is light blue):

Cheesy Eggs
from The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook by Diana Schwarzbein

4 eggs
3 oz. cream cheese, cut into ½-in. cubes
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 minced garlic clove

In a small bowl, beat eggs with cream cheese cubes, Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Set aside. In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter is hot and bubbly, add garlic and sauté about half a minute. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Stir and fold gently until cream cheese is melted and eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve immediately.

These citrus muffins can be made with orange, lemon, or lime, but lemon is my favorite. They're very easy to whip up. Once you start eating them, decide beforehand how many you want to eat, otherwise you may end up eating most of them. They're so easy to pop in your mouth that you don't feel like you're eating much. You've been warned.

This time I made one into a regular sized muffin to see if the texture held up. It did - the muffin was very light and airy. So if all you have is regular-sized muffin tins, this recipe will still work great. My guess is the recipe would yield 8 regular muffins (it makes 24 mini muffins).

Little Citrus Muffins
adapted from the Pampered Chef

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp orange, lemon, or lime zest

Glaze
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 orange, lemon, or lime, juiced

Preheat oven to 375. To make muffins, grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well.

In medium bowl, whisk butter and sugar until well blended. Add egg; whisk until smooth. Mix in sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Add flour mixture; mix until dry ingredients are moistened, but don't overmix.

Using a small scoop or spoon, drop a rounded scoop of batter into each muffin cup. Bake 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 3 minutes in pan, then remove. Cool slightly.

While muffins are baking, combine glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth (you may want to add half the orange juice and then taste and adjust by adding more). Dip tops of warm muffins into the glaze. Serve warm.

Meyer Lemon Sticky Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Here's a spring twist on the classic cinnamon roll. Even my husband agreed these were pretty good, but he still prefers classic cinnamon rolls (but based on the way he gobbled the lemon rolls up, I'd say he liked them just as much). In my world, I don't choose between the two, but appreciate both for what they are: fabulous.

Meyer Lemon Sticky Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
adapted from TheKitchn by Good Life Eats

Lemon Roll Dough
1 envelope (0.25 ounces, or 2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F or warm but not hot on your wrist
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup white sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds only or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 lemon, zested
1 meyer lemon, zested
2 eggs

Sticky Lemon Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 meyer lemon, zested
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 meyer lemon, juiced and zested

In the bowl of a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a couple minutes. With the mixer paddle, stir in the softened butter, sugar, vanilla, and one cup of the flour. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and lemon zests. Stir in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is elastic and pliable.

Spray the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and turn the dough over so it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise until nearly doubled - about an hour.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the nutmeg and ginger, then work in the lemon zest with the tips of your fingers until the sugar resembles wet, soft sand. Stir in the lemon juice.

Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface pat the dough out into a large yet still thick rectangle — about 10x15 inches. Spread evenly with the softened butter, then pour and spread the lemon-sugar mixture over top. Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the top long end. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even rolls, and place them, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled. (You can also refrigerate the rolls at this point. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour.)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and juice and blend until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.

When the rolls are done, smear them with the cream cheese glaze. Serve while warm.

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

I volunteered to make mini cupcakes for a church activity. I made the cupcakes and stored them unfrosted in the freezer a few days before. Then the activity was postponed, to be rescheduled, weeks went by, and it seems that event will not be held. At least I hope so because my husband and I ate all the cupcakes! At least we ate most of them unfrosted because it took me several days before I got around to making the frosting.

These lemony cupcakes are so dreamy. The lemon frosting is fabulous. I ate one paired with a strawberry, and that was even more fabulous. I highly recommend topping these with berries for a perfect spring treat.

Note this recipe makes 24 regular-sized cupcakes. Feel free to halve the recipe.

Lemon Cupcakes
from Our Best Bites

1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter
3 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons (zest the lemons before juicing)
4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Or grease a mini-muffin pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Don't go skimping here--you want the mixture to be almost white and super fluffy. This is absolutely essential to the outcome of the cake.

While butter and sugar are mixing, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside. After butter and sugar have mixed sufficiently, With the mixer running, add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until fully incorporated.

Using a standard cookie scoop, place about 2 scoops of batter into each muffin cup. Fill these almost to the top--due to the final texture, as these cupcakes won't have a curved crown.

Bake about 20-25 minutes (for mini cupcakes, bake 13-15 minutes)
or just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Don't overbake these even a bit, or they'll start to lose their delicious moisture. Remove from oven and cool completely. Frost with lemon buttercream and garnish with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or fresh mint leaves.

Lemon Buttercream

1 1/4 c. butter (2 1/2 sticks)
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 c. powdered sugar

Beat butter, lemon rind, and lemon juice in an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating to spreading consistency. Makes 2 3/4 c.

Meyer Lemon and Strawberry Muffins

I couldn't pass up a bag of Meyer lemons for $2. Meyer lemons are sweeter and less tart than regular lemons. But what to do with them? I made a lemon pudding, which was just okay. I'm in clean up my freezer mode, and I had some frozen strawberries. So for a Sunday breakfast treat, I tried out these muffins. The strawberry and lemon combination was delightful!

Frozen strawberries are a little tricky because they can become juicier and more mushy than fresh strawberries. I defrosted mine just slightly so I could cut them in chunks, but firm enough to be mixed into the batter. I also waited to add the strawberries until I had already mixed in almost all the flour. This reduced the risk of pink muffins.

UPDATE 3/3/12: Just made these with frozen raspberries and highly recommend it!

Meyer Lemon Strawberry Muffins
from My Baking Addiction

2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one Meyer lemon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk
2/3 cup (160 ml) melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups chopped, fresh or frozen** strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Position rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non stick cooking spray 12 – 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inch muffin cups. Set aside.

2. In a large measuring cup or bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, Meyer lemon juice and vanilla extract.

3. In another large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest. Gently fold in the berries. With a rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.

4. Fill each muffin cup almost full of batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan. Best when eaten day of baking as the strawberries add extra moisture to the muffins.

**If using frozen berries, you may have to bake the muffins a little longer than the stated time.

Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Rosemary

I've seen rosemary trees at the grocery stores for a few years now. This year, I finally bought one and am so excited. It smells lovely and I've already used it in several recipes. I just hope I can keep it alive.

These cupcakes are very lemony, so if you don't have lemon extract, just leave it out. The rosemary adds a faint flavor, but, as is my reaction with anything with fresh herbs, it adds a freshness.

I was excited to try out my new jumbo silicone muffin cups. The cupcakes popped right out.

Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Rosemary
from The Creative Pot

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
3 large eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped

For the icing:
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
zest of one lemon (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar and olive oil in a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy.

2. Add eggs one by one, beating after each addition.

3. Sift dry ingredients together, then add bit by bit to the egg mixture, alternating with the lemon juice. Stir well to combine.

4. Add lemon extract and rosemary and stir through.

5. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with cupcake liners and divide the batter evenly amongst the liners.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

7. Beat all the icing ingredients together until smooth, then use to frost cupcakes. Sprinkle lemon zest on top, if using.

Lemon Sherbet

This lemon sherbet is light, tangy, and refreshing. I ate it topped with fresh blueberries and raspberries - super summer treat.

UPDATE 6/10/13: Also works with Meyer lemon instead of regular lemon and full-fat coconut milk instead of cow's milk.

Lemon Sherbet
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 lemon
6 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)

In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix 1 cup of the milk with the sugar. Grate the zest of the lemon directly into the saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups milk, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Stir the lemon juice into the milk mixture. If it curdles a bit, whisk it vigorously to make it smooth again. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.