Lemon, Cardamom, and Thyme Cupcakes
Soft cupcakes flavored with fresh thyme, cardamom, and lemon zest topped with a swirl of lemon Italian meringue buttercream.
Servings 35 cupcakes
Calories 274kcal
Ingredients
Thyme Water
- 10 fl oz water
- 3- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Lemon, Cardamom, and Thyme Cupcakes
- 8 oz all- purpose flour
- 3 oz cake flour
- 1.25 oz dried buttermilk
- 2½ tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
- 7 oz unsalted butter softened
- 14 oz sugar
- 2 Tbsp cake enhancer optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 8 fl oz thyme water
- 3 Tbsps canola oil
Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream
- 14 oz sugar
- 4 fl oz water
- 6 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 18 oz unsalted butter softened* (see note)
- 1½ tsp lemon extract
- 3 drops yellow gel food color
- 1 drop ivory gel food color
Instructions
Thyme Water
- Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the thyme, remove from heat, and cover. Steep for 10 minutes.
- Remove thyme. Cool to room temperature before using or store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Lemon, Cardamom, and Thyme Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper cases and set aside.
- Sift the flours, dried buttermilk, baking powder, cardamom, and salt into a bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- Add the butter, sugar, and cake enhancer (if using) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream on a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the bowl down once or twice during the process.
- Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on medium until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl down.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, add an egg and mix for about 15 seconds before bumping the speed up to the next lowest setting. Mix until combined, about 15 seconds more. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs, scraping the bowl down occasionally.
- As the eggs finish incorporating, combine the water (8 fl oz of the prepared thyme water) and oil, then set aside.
- Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients. Begin with a third of the dry and mix on the lowest speed until just combined. Drizzle in half of the liquids and beat on low until nearly combined. Scrape the bowl down and repeat this process with another addition of dry, then wet ingredients. Scrape the bowl down and finish with the final bit of dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Use a cupcake scoop to divide the batter among the cupcake pans. Bake for 20- 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when tapped on top and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a cooling rack.
Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pot for the first 2 minutes to help prevent crystallization. You will heat the sugar syrup to 240°F.
- While the sugar heats, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. When the sugar syrup hits 200°F, begin whipping the egg whites on low. Once they start to foam, add the salt and cream of tartar.
- Bump the speed up to medium (4 on a KitchenAid) and beat until you reach soft peaks. The whites should be ready right when your sugar syrup is ready. If they whip up quicker, just bump the speed to the lowest speed to prevent them from over whipping.
- Once the sugar is 240°F, the egg whites should be at soft peaks. Slowly and carefully drizzle the syrup into the bowl, being careful to avoid the whisk. Continue to beat the meringue on a medium speed until it forms thick, glossy peaks, about 10- 15 minutes.
- When the meringue is ready, you can begin adding the butter one tablespoon at a time. Start with the cold stick of butter to bring the temperature of the meringue down. Wait about 10 seconds between additions. The mixture will deflate and look loose, but it will thicken up again.
- Once the butter has been added, scrape down the bowl and whip on a medium high speed for 3 minutes. If it still looks soupy, place the bowl in the fridge for about 5- 15 minutes, then whip again. Scrape the bowl down, add the lemon extract, and whip to combine. Taste the buttercream. If it tastes too buttery or thick, whip on a medium high speed for a few more minutes.
- Add desired gel food colors to achieve a lemon yellow color. If your buttercream is too warm/ loose, chill for up to 30 minutes, then beat again.
Assembly
- Pipe a swirl of lemon IMBC on top of each cupcake. Decorate with crystallized thyme or buttercream flowers.
Notes
- One stick (4 oz) of your butter should not be softened. Keep it slightly cold and mostly firm. This will bring the temperature of the meringue down for the rest of the butter.
- Read blog post for more info about the crystallized thyme and buttercream flowers.