Monday, April 26, 2010

Eggless Lemony CupCakes

Last week BS's school had a Scholastic Book Fair. This was probably the first time, she had a free rein on what book to buy, without Mom saying "The Barbie Princess book is absolute trash".

She would have probably freaked out if not for the $5 restriction in budget and the voice of conscience that I had put.





And then she finally picked something because I am guessing, the cover looked cute and she loves cupcakes. The book is "It's Raining CupCakes" by Lisa Schroeder. It is about this 12 year old girl who helps her Mom set up a cup cake store and in the process wins a cup cake contest in New York. At least that is what BS told me, don't blame me if it is about Dinosaurs and not little girls.

The book had a couple of recipes and of course BS wanted to do one of those. Now I am not the kind of person who bakes s'more cup cakes or has jars of marshmallow cream in their pantry or wakes up at 5 in the morning to exercise.I don't even know what marshmallow cream is except that if you eat jars of it, you better get up at 5 in the morning to exercise.

So I said, "Why not we make some Lemon Cupcakes ?", with not an ounce of clue about anything to do with lemon cupcakes.

BS loves lemons, she can suck lemons all day long. That adage about if somebody gives you lemons does not even hold true for her because she will happily suck through them anyway.

Thankfully, I had Sunita's Eggless Lemon Bundt cake bookmarked because well it was eggless and butterless and all purpose flourless and yet looked gorgeous. My only problem was I did not have mini bundt pans. I so love mini bundt pans but I didn't have any so I guess if I was making it, it was going to be bundt less. They might as well be cupcakes then I thought and BS loved the idea, the idea of "cupcakes" and "lemon", she didn't know the "less".





This was one case where "Less is More" is so very true. I mean "less" in the ingredients, while eating all you say is "Give me More".

Really is "Less ever More" except in the case of these Eggless, Butterless, Bundtless Lemony Cupcakes of course. Oh and I did it Sugar icing less too because I am mean and think icing-less cupcakes are good enough for six year olds.

I so love bloggers, they share such beautiful gems. And of all I love Happy Cook. You might think I am selfish, but no really I love Happy Cook. And it is not because she picked me the winner of her Giveaway. Ok, that might be the reason, I mean who would not love someone, who gives you a beautiful Cuisinart hand blender. Thanks Happy and Sunita and everyone who blogs and reads and keeps the blogosphere moving.

After BS had a couple of these gorgeous cakes, I asked her to be polite and pose for me, so that I can take one of those pics I have seen in multitude blogs. You know the one where the cute hands are holding something so delicious that the pic looks ethereal.

So BS stood and fidgeted, and talked,





and fidgeted, and moved her fingers





and I said "Enough"







Read more...






Lemony CupCakes



Original Recipe

Preheat oven to 350F

In a bowl, place
1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp flour,
1 tsp baking powder,
1/4 tsp baking soda and
zest of one whole lemon in a bowl and rub in with the fingertips.
Note: I used all purpose flour, though the original recipe says whole wheat flour(atta)

In another bowl, whisk together
1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp milk,
4tbsp oil and
6 tbsp sugar
Note: Since I avoided the icing, I increased the sugar by 2tbsp

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and tip in the milk mixture. Fold in.

Add 6 tbsp of lemon juice and fold in. With a wire whisk mix everything together. Taste. It is yum. Stop and proceed, lick the whisk if you wish.

Grease 12 cupcake liners.

Cut up some peaches from the Dole Fruits in a Cup and place in each. This is totally optional.

Spoon the mixture into the cup cake liners. If you have 5-7 year olds, at this point they will probably add sprinkles, crayon shavings(Nooooo!!!), M&M, anything to the cupcakes.

Place the pans in the center of the pre heated oven and bake for about 25-28 minutes or till the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted through the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Cool the cakes for a few minutes. Gently remove the cakes and cool completely.

If you are loving and caring and not mean like me, then mix a few tbsp of icing sugar with a little lemon juice to make a free flowing icing. Drizzle the icing on the cup cakes.

23 comments:

  1. Now i know the reason why you like me :-)
    I love making cup cakes they are easy and always a hit with kids, well with me too. But hav eto admit never made one without eggs, should try and i too love sunitha's place.

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  2. lemon and poppy seed muffins are my absolute favourite! though mine are with eggs. post is in the pipeline, actually!

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  3. A cupcake recipe without butter? Sure to try, it is hard to give the kid a goodie and tell her not to move for photo shoot!
    Congrats!

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  4. You lucky bum! I've thought about a hand blender but my conscience is playing spoilsport.

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  5. these sound super! i know what you mean about the fidgeting - soeren is like that and it's never easy. now i have my neighbor to pose for me!!

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  6. Lol you and the fidgeting little soul with a tasty treat in hand...lovely cupcakes Sandeepa, that too without butter. love the pics.

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  7. They look beautiful dear with those sprinkles.

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  8. Recipe bookmarked:) no egg, no butter and lovely lemon.

    My kids actually run away if I call them when I am taking pictures:-D they know what is coming and hate it.

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  9. Cute story, and very relevant too. I have my kids book fair this week, and i am quaking in my boots at the pink and purple frothy books that will come tumbling out of the shelves.
    ROFL on the dinosaurs quip....
    and congrats on the win!

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  10. very cute and lovely snaps, a really nice post.
    very new and mostly silent reader.
    Mokita.

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  11. Cute! Love those pictures with your lil one.

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  12. Oh congrats on the win! The cupcakes look really cute in ur daughter's hands. And she is so adorable to pose for you! :)

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  13. BS koto boro hoye geche ... amar mone ache ekta post e or snap ( maybe jekhane o chatni ke chatinge bole :-) ) ... chotto chotto haat. :-)
    Eta toh khub easy cupcakes ... barite lemon thaklei banano jaye.

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  14. Those are such cute cupcakes and eggless and almost dairy free....lovely!

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  15. Sandeepa,
    those looks so delicious and I also prefer without frosting/icing ..and my daughter ,she wont sit quitely,continously talking Oke niye aajkal chobi tola difficult , last time ami try korchilaam,jeta hathe chilo ,ota top kore mokhe chole gelo..can I blame her for it?LOL..and congrats for the giveaway gift.
    hugs and smiles

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  16. Hi Sandeepa,

    Thanks to Little BS for sharing the lovely looking book cover with a lovely name with us. See she has grown up into a gracious young girl and helped you by posing with those cuty cuty butter less, #### less, $$$$less lemon cup cake in hand.

    She deserves a big hug and an additional cup cake for this kindness.

    Take care and enjoy motherhood

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  17. no butter too? Did i see that right? Man, i have to make this now!!

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  18. I simply loved this post.Thanks Sandeepa for sharing and yes thanks to all you bloggers who share lovely recipes and stories for the rest of us to enjoy!

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  19. these are so cute...

    and healthy! no butter - yay :)

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  20. Sandeepa, I hear you about the fidgeting hands. Glad that you loved the cupcakes.

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  21. hmmm - I am the same, dont like the idea of icing on cupcakes at all - so my kid doesnt even know that thats an option!! outside also, we mostly see muffins and not cupcakes, so she hasnt really seen the american style icing cupcakes

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  22. No eggs, no butter, lots of lemon - gotta try.

    (I wasn't allowed to have Barbie, either. My mom thought it was trash, too. ; D)

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