Lemon Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 3cupsself-rising flour
• ½teaspoonsalt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk, divided
• 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

Lemon Cream Icing:

• 2 cups chilled heavy cream
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.

2. Prepare the cupcakes: Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar together in another bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla.

3. Gently beat flour mixture into butter mixture, 1/3 at a time, alternating with 1/2 of the milk and 1/2 of the lemon juice after each of the first two additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not overmix.

4. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter, 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans before removing them to finish cooling on a rack, about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, make the icing: Beat cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer set on low until cream begins to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the icing forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes.

6. Spread icing on cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.