Saturday Recipe

Preheat and line

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with oil. Position the oven rack in the middle.

If using refrigerated eggs, milk, or sour cream, bring them to room temperature for about 20 minutes to help batter emulsify and rise evenly.

Whisk dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend (1 3/4 cups), sugar (1 cup), baking powder (2 tsp), baking soda (1/2 tsp), and salt (1/2 tsp) until fully combined and aerated.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the milk (3/4 cup), sour cream (1/2 cup), eggs (2), oil (1/2 cup), vanilla (2 tsp), and apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp) until smooth. If using lemon zest, stir it into the wet mixture now.

Temper and mix

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mixture, and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Stop when no dry streaks remain; a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing can make cupcakes dense.

Add mix-ins

If using fresh berries (3/4 cup), gently fold them into the batter to avoid breaking them up; do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release large air bubbles and level the batter.

Bake on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cupcakes sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Prepare frosting (if using pre-made buttercream)

If using store-bought frosting, bring it to room temperature and stir to a smooth consistency. If using homemade buttercream (2 cups), ensure it is smooth and pipeable. For a lighter finish, you can whip the frosting slightly before using.

Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting on each cupcake. Garnish with additional lemon zest or a fresh berry, if desired.

Store cooled, frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated cupcakes to room temperature before serving for best texture.