Lemon Rose Cupcakes Recipe (with Video)

Make the Lemon Rose Cupcake Batter and bake the cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the center of the oven
2. Line a 12-cup standard-size muffin pan with paper liners and lightly grease them with cooking spray
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl
4. Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl, and rub them together with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand; add in the kosher salt
5. In a small saucepan, heat the oat milk over medium heat; as soon as bubbles appear around the edges, remove from the heat (this is called scalding)
6. Add the hot oat milk to the sugar mixture and whisk until the mixture is fully dissolved; it will take 1-2 mins
7. Add the vegan butter and whisk until the butter has dissolved; add the oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified
8. Add the tofu, lemon juice, vanilla, and rose water
9. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk until the batter is mostly smooth and no large lumps of flour remain; however, do not mix until the batter is completely smooth or it will be tough
10. Divide the batter equally among the 12 prepared cups
11. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 mins, until a tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean
12. Allow the cupcakes to cool for about 30 mins in the muffin pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour longer
13. Note: Baked cupcakes keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days
Make the Rose Water Buttercream
1. Place the vegan butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat it on medium-high speed until it is creamy and smooth; scrape down the sides of the bowl, about 1 min
2. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is bright white and fluffy, about 1 min longer
3. Add the oat milk, vanilla paste, rose water, lemon juice, and salt, and beat until they are fully mixed in; the frosting should be smooth and fluffy
4. Add in the food coloring; feel free to add more or less as desired to achieve the shade of pink you'd like
5. Note: Frosting keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container; allow the frosting to come to room temperature (for 4-6 hours) before serving
Frost and finish the cupcakes
1. Holding a small serrated knife at a 45-degree angle, cut a hole about 1 inch in diameter and 1 inch in depth in the center of each cupcake
2. Remove the "lid" and scrape off the majority of the cake from this piece (feel free to snack on it!)
3. Fill each hole with about 1 tsp of lemon curd, then replace the lids
4. Once the cupcakes are cool, fit a piping bag with a large closed-star tip, such as the Wilton 2D, and fill it with the buttercream
5. Position the tip of the piping bag at a 90-degree angle, about 1 inch above the cupcake
6. Start piping the frosting in the center of the cupcake, and move around in a spiral towards the edge of the cupcake until the entire surface has been covered with a rosette of buttercream; to finish, tuck the piping tip down and to the side while releasing pressure on the piping bag; use a knife to tuck the "tail" of the frosting into the side of the cupcake
7. Finally, tuck a lemon slice into the cupcake in order to mask this frosting "tail" and top with sprinkles, if desired
8. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature
9. Note: Frosted cupcakes keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving