Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

 

These cupcakes are another winner from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  The kids each helped to taste test this for texture, flavor, sweetness and whether or not they could taste the vegetables.  I only told my oldest that the cupcakes have beets and squash in them because telling my nine and six year old would have been the end of the line for these cupcakes.  The vegetables are undetectable to me and the kids.

To make the beet puree the book suggests leaving the fresh beet whole and unpeeled, trimming the stem to one inch.  Wrap each beet in tin foil and roast at 400 degrees for about an hour or until the tip of a sharp knife can easily pierce the beet.  Once cooled, peel the beet (I forgot this step and tossed the whole beet in, peel and all) and puree for about 2 minutes in a blender or food processor.  Then in 1/2 cup portions, freeze the puree in freezer bags.  I bought 4 beets and had about 3/4 cup to show for it.  I’ll be making the ‘Pink Pancakes’* in the morning with the rest of the beets that didn’t go into these cupcakes.

Filling

• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 Tablespoons beet puree
• 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Batter

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1/2 cup yellow squash puree
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (1 large lemon will do)
• 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 1 (8 oz.) package reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
• food coloring (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups.

1. In a small bowl, mash the raspberries, beet puree and butter.  Set aside
2. In a large bowl beat the sugar, milk, yellow squash puree, oil, egg whites, lemon juice and lemon extract until smooth.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt then mix until well incorporated.
3. Using about half the batter, fill each muffin cup about half full.  Dot each with the raspberry filling, then cover each cup with the rest of the batter.
4. Bake for 20-25.  Turn the cupcakes out onto a cooling rack.
5. For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon extract and food coloring (if desired), then spread over each cupcake.

*update – I made the Pink Pancakes this morning and we each took a bite.  Then threw the rest of the uncooked batter and on-the-skillet pancakes out.  They were bad.  The taste of the beets was very obvious and no one wants that in a morning flap-jack.  Yuck