Summer Shandy Lemon Cupcakes

After a very crazy week, for the 4th of July weekend I finally had the time to experiment with the Summer Shandy Lemon Cupcakes I've been dreaming about.  In case you aren't familiar with Summer Shandy, let me introduce you...

 

It is a beer.  By Leinenkugel's.  And it's popular here in the upper Midewest.  Made with lemonade.  Perfect for hot summer days.  That is all. 

 



Instead of adding sour cream from the original lemon recipe, I added...

...about this much beer (6 oz maybe?), and got...

...these beauties!



Taste wise they weren't much different from the other cupcakes.  But I did notice they kept their moisture much better with the beer in the batter. 

 

What a tasty way to celebrate this country of ours. 

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th! :)

 

 

Summer Shandy Lemon Cupcakes

Makes 36 - 42 cupcakes

Note: This recipe was originally adapted from one I found on allrecipes.com called "Lemon Cream Cupcakes." But for the life of me I can't find it on that site anymore. I made a few modifications so the recipe below is the one I use. Here goes...

 

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Juice of 1 whole lemon

6 oz. ish of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy beer

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

zest of two lemons

 

Preheat oven to 350 (My oven runs a little hot so I do 345.  In a convection oven it's aroun 320.)

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, at least 5 mins.

Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.

Add vanilla extract, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and Summer shandy beer.

In the meantime whisk together dry ingredients and lemon zest.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches.  The batter should be thick but not dry. 

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 way and bake for 18-22 mins.  Don't let them get too brown on top. 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick of butter

(2) 8 oz. packages of full fat cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

juice of half a lemon

 

Beat the butter and cream cheese together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 

Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and incorporate.

Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.