Cooking to Combat Cancer - Macadamia and Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

This is the second Cooking to Combat Cancer event that Mele Cotte is hosting. I, as per usual, am running late to submit.

My cancer fighting ingredients are:

* Blueberries
* Macadamias
* Lemon

So here is my cancer combatting culinary combination - Macadamia and Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream.




Macadamia and Blueberry Cupcakes

125g / 1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
2 tsp lemon zest, grated
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, ground
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 180(350).
2. Line muffin trays with cupcake liners.
3. Cream butter, vanilla, lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Alternately add flour and milk in three lots, starting with flour.
6. Fold in ground macadamia nuts and blueberries.
7. Evenly divide into cupcake liners and bake for 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Makes 12 - 15 cupcakes





Lemon Buttercream

125g / 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup icing [powdered] sugar
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
2 tbs lemon juice

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add half a cup of icing sugar and lemon zest. Beat until well combined.
3. Add the remaining icing sugar and lemon juice and beat for another 3 minutes.

You add more icing sugar or lemon until you get the desired consistency.

I decorated the cupcakes with dried blueberries.