Description
Citrus scented cupcakes are topped with a bird’s nest made from chow mein noodles. And easy and festive Easter or Spring cupcake.
Scale
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- coloring, if desired
For the nests:
- 6 ounces vanilla candy melts
- 4 cups chow mein noodles
- egg shaped candies or jelly beans
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 28 cupcake tins with paper liners.
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together the sour cream, orange juice, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl inbetween additions.
- Add in the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture alternately, beating on low, just until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until incorporated completely. Add in the milk, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until the consistency you want is reached. Beat in the extract, and any coloring, if desired. Frost each cooled cupcake with a layer of the frosting.
- Make the nests: In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the candy melts for 30 seconds at a time, stirring well, until melted. Stir into the chow mein noodles, and stir to coat. Shape noodles into nest shapes to top the cupcakes. If the mixture starts to set up before you are done, return the bowl to the microwave for a few seconds.
- Top each cupcake with a noodle nest, and place a few candies in the center of each nest. If you want the candy to stick, use a small amount of the frosting as glue.
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- cupcake and nest recipes adapted from BHG
- frosting recipe from taste and tell