Easter Birds: Lemon Cupcakes

These cute bird's nest cupcakes were part of my Easter baking session. The decoration was inspired by Martha Stewart, the cupcake recipe is mine, though.

For 10 cupcakes you will need:

• 1/2 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup lemon-flavoured yoghurt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 eggs

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 5 tbsp cream cheese
• 5 tbsp confecioners' sugar
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• optional: food colouring

Decorations:

•  1/4 cup marzipan or rolled fondant
• food colouring to your liking
• chocolate shavings

Method:

 1. Cream the butter, sugar and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well.

2. In a seperate bowl whisk together the yoghurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest and the ground ginger. Add the yoghurt mixture to the butter mixture and beat well. Sift the flour and baking soda, add to the rest and whisk until a nice even batter has formed.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Divide evenly among 10 muffin cases, about one generous tablespoon per case. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

4. For the cream cheese frosting cream together the cream cheese and the sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the lemon zest and juice and food colouring to your liking. Spread evenly on top of the muffins.

5. Decorate with little birds made of couloured marzipan or rolled fondant and chocolate shavings ( I used green mint-flavoured and caramel-flavoured shavings to create the nests).