Limoncello and Raspberry Jam Swirl Cupcakes

This is my second cupcake recipe for National Cupcake Week. The last one was full of chocolate and spice flavours, whereas this one is more fruity, tangy and boozy!
Yes boozy, maybe not one for this kids this, but it doesn’t contain too much, so up to you really! I used limoncello to give the cupcakes a citrus punch, along with some lemon extract. Too sour for you? Not to worry, as I’ve swirled through some sweet Scottish Raspberry Jam.

Scottish raspberries are the best in the world, and yes I may be biased coming from Scotland, but because of our climate they are plumper and juicier than the rest. All the rain up here does have it’s benefits.

The shop-bought jam is also swirled with some limoncello buttercream on top of the cupcakes, so the flavours are all through the entire treat.
Limoncello is Italian in origin (try my friend Luca’s recipe here) being the county’s second most popular liqueur, and as these contain Scottish raspbs, you can think of this recipe as a fusion of Italian and Scottish, a bit like myself.

The cupcakes are sweet, citrusy, with a slight alcohol kick. You will love these…

Limoncello and Raspberry Jam Swirl Cupcakes

Lemony cupcakes flavoured with limoncello
and swirled with raspberry jam.

Cuisine: Dessert Category: Cupcakes Yields: 6 cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 Mins Cook Time: 15 Mins Total Time: 40 Mins

 
Ingredients

• Cupcakes

• 110 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 110 grams caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 110 grams self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 tablespoon limoncello
• 12 tablespoons raspberry jam

• Buttercream

• 57 grams unsalted butter
• 240 grams icing sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 ½ tablespoon milk
• 1 ½ tablespoon limoncello
• More raspberry jam
• Raspberries to garnish.

  Instructions

1. Line a cupcake tray with 6 paper liners and preheat the oven to 180C.
2. In a bowl beat together the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and lemon extract and beat together well, until the mixture is smooth.
4. Sift in the flour and stir to combine, just so no dry flour remains.
5. Divide the mix between the cupcake liners and spoon two tablespoons of raspberry jam in each cup.
6. With the end of a teaspoon swirl the jam through the cupcake batter.
7. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
8. Allow to cool completely
9. Make the icing by beating together the butter, icing sugar, lemon extract, milk and limoncello until smooth and a pipeable consistency.
10. Take an icing bag, fitted with a half inch plain nozzle,  and smear raspberry jam up the sides before putting in the buttercream.
11. Pipe a little onto plate, just until the raspberry jam comes through with the buttercream.
12. Pipe onto each cupcake and pop a raspberry on top of each one.
13. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

I am entering these cupcakes into this month’s Alphabakes. The letter is J and J is for Jam. Alphabakes is hosted, this month,  by Ros, The More than Occasional Baker and Caroline at Caroline Makes.