Weekly Bake...Lemon Slice & Lemon Cupcakes

I love lemons and I especially love lemons in baking and desserts.  So when presented with some gorgeous lemons I decided that a little baking was in order, delicious Lemon Slice and Lemon Cupcakes.  Both recipes were super easy, and a hit with the kids! Happy baking...

Lemon Slice

Ingredients

Slice

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

100g butter

200g granita biscuits

1 cup desiccated coconut

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

Lemon Icing

2 cups pure icing sugar

20g butter, softened

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Slice

Grease a 3cm deep, 15.5cm x 25cm slice tin. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan.

Place condensed milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until smooth and combined. Remove from heat. 

Using a food processor, process biscuits until fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl. Add coconut and lemon rind. Stir to combine. Add hot butter mixture. Mix well to combine. 

Press mixture over the base of prepared pan. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until firm.

Lemon Icing

Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add butter and lemon juice. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Spread icing over slice. Stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until icing has set. Cut into pieces. Serve.

Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

150g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

175g self-raising flour

3 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lemon rind finely grated

Lemon Frosting

150g unsalted butter softened

250g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp hot water

1 lemon rind finely grated

Yellow food colouring (optional)

Instructions

Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl or food mixer and beat until creamy but light.

Evenly divide the mixture into the 12 cake cases.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until they have risen and are firm to touch.

Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Frosting

Place the butter and icing sugar into a bowl or food mixer and beat well until smooth and creamy.

Add the vanilla extract, the hot water and the grated lemon rind (and a couple of drops of yellow food colour if desired). Beat again until smooth. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled, spoon or pipe the frosting evenly onto the cupcakes.