Whenever I make a recipe like lemon curd or custard I freeze the left over egg whites in a freezer bag and label it with how many whites are in there. When you get five stored up, that’s a great time to make white cupcakes. Just thaw the whites in a bowl of warm water on the counter before proceeding. Or, conversely, when you make lemon curd, make white cupcakes! They are wonderful together!

Before begining, here are the basics of measuring for baking. Start teaching these simple methods to your kids to build their confidence in the kitchen.

Type of ingredient:            How to measure:

Cake Flour                          Sift flour, spoon into dry measuring cup
                                            and level with straight edge

All Purpose Flour                Use dry measuring cup, spoon in
                                            and level with straight edge

Granulated Sugar                Use dry measuring cup, spoon in or scoop
                                            and level off with straight edge 

Brown sugar                        Use dry measuring cup, pack it down,
                                            it will come out in a mold

Confectioners Sugar           Use dry measuring cup, sift sugar,
                                            level with straight edge

Baking Powder, Cocoa        Use measuring spoons, dip in and level off

Liquids                                 Use liquid measuring cups at eye level

Shortening                           Pack into dry cup and level off

If you will follow these guidelines, it will make your recipes come out better because you won’t be using too much or too little of the ingredient. For instance, if you scoop flour with the cup you will use too much because scooping packs the flour down. For tastier treats, carefully measure!

Now let’s talk tools:

I have quite a selection of measuring implements. I like to collect them! I bake a ton and like to have several sets on hand so I don’t have to stop and wash them. I keep all the measuring spoons in a little crock so they are handy.

Some sets of dry cups have more than just 1, 3/4, 1/2, and ¼ cups. It’s nice to have 1/3 and 2/3 cups as well.

It’s the same with measuring spoons. I love having 1/8 teaspoon, 1 ½ teaspoon, 1 ½ tablespoon etc.

A variety of liquid measuring cups is important also. One cup, two cup, four cup and eight cup are all helpful.

Okay, now here’s the cupcake recipe:

White Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream
This recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes. It is a wonderful basic white cake recipe. It is perfect for teaching the basics of cake making and how to properly measure ingredients.

• 3¼ cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1½ tablespoons baking powder      
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
• ½ cup plus 6 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 5 large egg whites, room temperature

For the Frosting:
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
• 3½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Making the cake:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir vanilla into milk.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until just combined after each.

3. In another bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Fold one third of the whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites in two batches.

4. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling each, three-quarters full. Bake until a tester inserted comes out clean 18 to 20 minutes.

Note: I never trust any time given in recipes for cooking. I always start checking at least 5 minutes before the minimum time they give because ovens often run hot. Over baking cakes makes them dry and tough so always start checking early!

Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tins to cool completely before frosting.

Making the frosting:

1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar in batches and beat until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and beat 1 minute. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Note: I piped lemon curd into the center of my cupcakes (about 1 teaspoon or so). I then piped the frosting over the cupcakes and sprinkled them with yellow candies.

Whipping up all those tasty meringues got me going on an egg theme! You know that the meringue recipe left me with left over egg yolks so, what to do? Of course, lemon curd! It’s one of the yummiest things in the world! And it’s a gorgeous color of yellow!

Lemon Curd Recipe
– 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
– ¾ cup granulated sugar
– ½ cup fresh lemon juice
– 3 tablespoons lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
– Pinch salt
– 6 large egg yolks

Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Whisk in the yolks until smooth.

Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. To check if the curd is thick enough, dip a wooden spoon into it and draw your finger across the back of the spoon; your finger should leave a path. Don’t let the mixture boil.

Immediately force the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally, or place plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate, covered until ready to use. That is, if you don’t eat it all standing right there at the counter!

Tip: The secret to success with this recipe is to use med-low heat. You are making a custard of sorts. Heat causes the yolks to thicken beautifully but if you get impatient the eggs with curdle and scorch. The hardest part of this recipe is grating all the lemon zest. You need a microplane grater! Use a light touch and only remove the top layer of peel. Directly under the yellow is white pith. It is bitter! I once made a beautiful looking lemon tart that tasted terrible because I didn’t know about the pith thing yet. Very sad experience, but I never did that again!

So make your lemon curd and get ready for some yum!

Stay tuned later this week for a sweet back-to-school recipe…lemon curd-filled white cupcakes frosted with delectable lemon butter cream.

– Sara