Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4, and line two 8-hole muffin tins
with 16 cupcake cases.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4-5
minutes, using an electric whisk. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by
the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add this
gradually into the butter and egg mixture until a thick batter forms. Finally,
stir in the milk and lemon zest.
Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes,
or until the cakes are risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
While the cakes are cooking, make the lemonade syrup. Stir together the
lemonade and caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or
until reduced and beginning to thicken in consistency.
Once the cakes have baked, use a pastry brush to coat the top of each
cupcake with the syrup, and then allow them to cool.
To make the strawberry buttercream, place the strawberries and lemon
juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Use a fork to crush the berries
until they become soft. Keep simmering the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove the
puree from the heat and allow to cool completely before using.
Cream together the butter and icing sugar using an electric whisk until
light and fluffy. It will be quite thick at this stage. Gradually add in the
cooled puree, a tablespoon at a time, until it is all
incorporated. If the mixture looks slightly split, add a few tablespoons more
icing sugar until it comes back together and is smooth.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, cut a small hole in each cupcake, and add
a small amount of jam before piping the strawberry buttercream onto the top of each cupcake using a piping
bag fitted with a closed star nozzle. Top each cupcake with a fresh strawberry
and quarter slice of lemon… enjoy!
