Can I ask y’all a real life question?
What’s the cure for heartbreak following a breakup?
I feel like the wise answer would include things like eating lots of vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and going to the gym a lot. And learning what to do with the bag of lentils sitting in my pantry. Lentils are good for you, right?
But I’m kind of hoping the actual answer includes wine and eating lots of cupcakes.
Maybe a lot of lemony buttermilk cupcakes, filled with strawberry jam and topped with strawberry-vanilla buttercream frosting.
In the belief that positivity breeds positivity, I’m going to ask you, my loving readers, to comment below and tell me:
– Something funny. Maybe it’s a funny/awkward story (that happened to you or a nameless “friend”). Maybe it’s a bad joke.
– Your favorite thing to do with lentils. (Seriously, what do I do with these things?)
Jam-Filled Buttermilk Cupcakes with Strawberry-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup strawberry jam
For the frosting
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 tablespoons strawberry jam
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
- On a piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar together until pale yellow. Add the butter, vanilla, lemon zest, juice and buttermilk to the mixture; beat until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing until smooth. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove cupcakes and allow to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before filling and frosting.
- To fill cupcakes: Using a small paring knife, insert the tip of the knife into the cupcake at about a 45 degree angle halfway between the center and outer edge of the cupcake. With the knife at this angle, cut a circle into the top of the cupcake - you should have just cut a small cone out of the center of the cupcake. Cut the bottom of the cone off and discard it, leaving a small "lid". Repeat on all cupcakes.
- Spoon a very small amount of jam (between 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) into the cavity in each cupcake. Put the "lid" back on the cupcake. Frost cupcakes as usual.
Make the frosting:
- With an electric mixer, beat butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Add in 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the milk, vanilla, and strawberry jam and mix until well-combined. Add in the last cup of powdered sugar, a small amount at a time, until the frosting reaching your desired spreading or piping consistency. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes. Will last, in a covered container in the refrigerator, for up to 10 days.
I suggest lots and lots of chocolate…and wine! I hear they have a chocolate wine now–try some of that, or a whole bottle, whatever works! And, know that even though it hurts now, God must have someone better in mind for you, just be patient! “For I know the plans that I have for you…” You know the rest, I’m sure! Cindy (friend of your Mom)
Cindy, I know who you are! (You’re the one who almost burned the house down when you and Momma had your crappy dates! 😉 )
Thank you for that =)
Actually, it was both of us because we forgot to open the flue on the fireplace. Smoke was everywhere. Cindy’s cherry pie was awesome, though! We should have let the two of them just breathe deep and eaten the pie all by ourselves. Ha ha!
Obessed!! Stephie these look SO freaking good. Those pics are fabulous!
And lentils are def not a heartbreak cure….lentils are for digestive problems. I believe sugar is the only proven cure? And wine….lots of wine 🙂
Thanks, girl! You’ve gotta try them, they were SO good! And I will definitely ingest plenty of sugar =)
They do have chocolate wine and I hear it’s delish. These cupcakes sound like they could be therapeutic. As for the lentils, give them to a food bank or scatter them on the ground for birds. I’m sure some variety of a bird would eat them. Anyway, get them out of your house immediately. They have bad juju.
Do invest in good quality kleenex while you’re in the active crying stage. Don’t use cheap, scratchy tissues at this difficult time. You don’t need irritated skin on top of an aching heart. I also encourage chick flick film festivals–Bridget Jones’ Diary, Legally Blonde, Funny Girl, etc.– and singing “I Will Survive” into your hairbrush in front of a mirror.
Lots of love and hugs to you.
SB
Lots of love to you, too, SB <3
Wine. Girls nights out. Lots of belly laughs. And of course cupcakes. It will get better. Just keep breathing and moving forward.
I expect lots of belly laughs on Sunday!
I love the strawberry middle! These cupcakes look fantastic and addicting. Still haven’t tried making a buttercream – looks like I need to get some butter and whip out the kitchenaid!
These cupcakes look amazing, and I’m a firm believer in fresh baked goodness being the cure to a broken heart. And if you want something to just make you smile, might I suggest this: http://thebloggess.com/ (be sure to read about Beyonce) and this: http://textfromdog.tumblr.com/
Omg Colleen, THANK YOU. I’m currently laughing/snorting so loudly that my cats are slowly backing away from me in fear. Exceptional.
Snorting is always the answer. 😉
Oh no 🙁 Breakups are bad 🙁 So sorry! I’m here for ya. I went through 2 break-ups after I started my blog. Baking is definitely the answer 🙂
For lentils, I make lentil-walnut burgers. I also make Jennifer Perillo’s lentil-ricotta meatballs. Stay strong, girl! xo
Thanks, Christina! For the lentil suggestions and the love =)
Here’s my philosophy – you should eat healthy the majority of the time and indulge on a few rare occasions. Hopefully breakups will be rare in your life so that makes them the perfect opportunity for cupcakes and chocolate. Cocktails are appropriate for both happy and sad occasions so you should drink those often. As for the bag of lentils – throw it out. I hate lentils. 🙂 Cheer up, girl, there’s someone better out there so look at a photo of the ex and repeat after me: ‘I will have you replaced with someone taller, richer and better looking in no time at all!’
Haha! Thanks, Anita =)
I LOVE lentil soup! TRUST ME, it’s pretty amazing. I could eat lentil soup for breakfast if I had to! =) And it’s sooo healthy! Anyway, these look GREAT =) Love ’em!
Is it self raising flour you used? Can’t wait to try this recipe! 🙂
Nope, just plain old all-purpose flour! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
One more question before I try making these. I can’t find buttermilk in any of my local stores (Scotland), is there an alternative I can use?
Thanks again!
Yep! Use plain milk and add a little lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for about five minutes before using. For every cup of milk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar/lemon juice
I just made these cupcakes and they came out soooo good. Everyone loved them! The cupcakes were so moist and light. If I leave out the lemon to make it vanilla flavored, will they still turn out the same or should I add some more liquid to it? Also, do you think this recipe will work in a 6″ cake pan? Thanks!