Lemon Cornmeal Breakfast Cake

Have I told you all about my sister? My lovely sister, Erin? Well, I love my sister. She's smart, she's beautiful, she's funny, and she's a great sister. I love her. And her fiancé. And her apartment in Richmond. Did I mention I visited them in Richmond? Well, I did.  And we made this Lemon Cornmeal Breakfast Cake.

This cake was incredible. The entire breakfast was incredible.  And the fact that it was my sister and I, well, that just made it divine.

Now, in order to really start this breakfast out right, we had to make some mimosas.  What's a breakfast without mimosas? 

Mimosas + sisters = one heck of a time.

This cake also made it one heck of a time.  It was delicious, easy, and perfect with a side of eggs benedict.

I would totally include the recipe for the eggs benedict but we sort of flew by the seat of our pants... aka, we didn't have ham so we used bacon and we didn't know how to make hollandaise sauce so we made it from a packet. Don't judge. It was delicious. 

Okay, you can judge a little bit.

Please make this breakfast cake soon.  Make it for your friends.  Make it for your family. Make it for yourself. And if you have a sister, well, make this together.  It will come with many laughs and even more memories.

Lemon Cornmeal Breakfast Cake (recipe here)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted until brown then cooled slightly

Lemon Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions
-Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°
-In a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet, melt butter until browned.
-Coat the skillet with butter by tilting the pan and then remove the excess butter from the skillet to cool.
-Whisk the dry ingredients (flour to salt) together in a large bowl.
-In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, and butter.
-Fold the wet ingredients until few lumps remain.
-Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-While the cake is baking, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon zest together for the icing.
-Let cake cool for 10 minutes.
-Using a toothpick or fork, poke holes in the cake.
-Pour the glaze over the cake and let sit for 30 minutes
-Serve and enjoy!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Let me start off by saying that I'm a little behind the times.  This post is about an attempt to bring dessert to an oh-so-fabulous surprise bash.  However, this oh-so-fabulous surprise bash happened two weeks ago. Like I said, a little behind the times.  I took a trip to Richmond, VA during these past two weeks and will be adding numerous posts about it in the future.  However, I thought I'd start back with this blog (sorry for the two week hiatus) with a lovely pink cupcake recipe.  Who doesn't love pink? More importantly, who doesn't love pink cupcakes? It's almost Spring time, so pink lemonade cupcakes are definitely in order.

Now, if you didn't catch the important word above, let me repeat myself.  This post is about an attempt to bring dessert to an oh-so-fabulous surprise bash.  Attempt.  

Aka, these didn't make the cut.  While some loved them, some didn't, and I'd much rather wow a crowd with a recipe than have a "so-so" review.  The problem with this recipe was the buttercream frosting.  The frosting recipe was completely wackadoo, so I found another pink lemonade buttercream recipe for a fluffier, more delicious topping. 

The cupcakes themselves were pretty great... they had a unique taste, and a lovely pink color.  If you adore pink lemonade like I do, definitely try this recipe. I will be making these again with the upgraded frosting... maybe then I'll have another oh-so-fabulous surprise bash to attend and Wilson won't have to eat so many pink lemonade cupcakes... Yes, Wilson found these cupcakes and ate them.  Another reason they were a party dessert attempt. 

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes (recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 cup thawed frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 or more drops of red food coloring

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350° and line muffin pan with liners.
-In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
-In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites, and lemonade.
-Add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, to the large bowl, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until the batter is smooth.
-Add the food coloring until the batter is a light shade of pink.
-Add the batter to the pan, filling the cups about 3/4 of the way full.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
-Cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting (recipe adapted from here)
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
red food coloring

-Cream the butter and salt together with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
-Add the milk and half of the powdered sugar, beating until combined.
-Scrape down the bowl then add the remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat until combined.
-Scrape down the bowl again then beat on high for 2 minutes, or until the frosting is fluffy.
-Add the red food coloring until the frosting is a light shade of pink. Continue beating on hight for 3 minutes.
-Spread or pipe frosting on the cooled cupcakes.