When life gives you lemons

Lemon cakes are a yummy treat for any occasion, with all the deliciousness of a chocolate fudge cake but minus the heavy sickly feeling to follow. Here's some mini lemon cupcakes that would look the part on any buffet spread or ladies at lunch table.

To start you'll need 125g of soft butter and caster sugar, beat them till they're well combined and fluffy. Add 2 lightly beaten eggs and 3 tea spoons of lemon juice, then mix everything together.
Sift in 100g of self raising flour fold in, then add a spoonful of mixture to each cupcake case. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes till risen and golden brown.

While the cupcakes are baking whisk together 350g of icing sugar with 175g of butter. Add a pinch of lemon zest and a drizzle of lemon juice. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled put the lemon buttercream into a piping bag and pipe in a circle creating a swirl on top of each cake. I added crushed pieces of lemon meringue and popping candy to mine but you could add anything from candied lemon slices or simple zest shavings.
The good thing about mini cupcakes is you can alot more and only have half the guilt!

Morning Glory.

Pancakes, yes these lovely little breakfast cakes are not just reserved for one day a year! oh no no no, everyone deserves a tower of maple syrup covered goodness every once in a short while. So here's a simple little recipe with a lemony edge.

Add to a bowl, 100g of plain flour, 300ml milk, 2 eggs & a pinch of salt whisk till all ingredients are combined to a smooth batter.
I use Lurpak Cooking Mist to stop the pancakes from sticking, spray the base of the pan and pour in the batter to cover the base of the pancake pan. Cook your pancakes for about a minute until golden on each side then flip them over and do the same on the other side. If you're making a few batches keep your others warm on low in an oven.

Then plate them up and
here's the fun part you can customise them to suit any fussy eaters taste. I like to spread mine with a bucket of lemon curd and dust with icing sugar, yum!