I have downright baffled myself.
I may have mentioned that I’m moving this week. Moving is… horrifying. Yes, I’m being dramatic. Please indulge me.
Among the things that I found under my bed and in the dark recesses of my closet as I’ve been cleaning and packing are:
eight kitten stuffed animals.
one medium sized bunny stuffed animal.
three puppy stuffed animals.
….. WWWHHHHHYYYY?
one baby sock…. A. Baby. Sock. I have no baby. Seriously… What the heck is going on here!?
a tiny rhinestone turtle toe ring. Really?
one sweater that gives my arms a rash. I found out the hard way.
one wooden bobble head turtle toy. Why so many turtles hiding in my house?
and… a rock. Because… yea. A rock.
Take these Little Lemon Hazelnut Cakes as a token of my love, affection, and dwindling sanity.
This recipe is like a secret weapon. It’s super adaptable and always perfectly moist. At its root, the cake is an easy buttermilk and oil cake that comes together with two bowls and a whisk. I used hazelnut oil, but almond oil, walnut oil, or olive oil also work beautifully. Also feel free to add any sort of citrus zest you like. This recipe makes twelve tender and darling little cakes. Go on. Bake em. I’ll just be over here in the corner losing my ever loving mind. Don’t mind me.
Little Lemon Hazelnut Cakes
makes 12 little (cup)cakes
recipe adapted ever so slightly from Jun Tan
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hazelnut oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together hazelnut oil, buttermilk, egg, vinegar, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Whisk together until just combined and no lumps remain. Divide between twelve cupcake cups and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of one of the little cakes comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to cool completely and top with an easy lemon glaze.
Lemon glaze is simple 1 heaping cup of powdered sugar mixed with the juice of half a lemon and a dash of water or milk to reach your desired consistency.
93 Responses
Just curious, do these really need 3/4 cup sugar? They sound delicious and I actually have hazelnut oil but I’m not comfortable using that much sugar, will it make a big difference if I don’t use the full amount?
Super nice! Definitely making these again for my son’s up-coming birthday party!
These little cakes are completely delicious. I love every single recipe Joy posts! The first time I made these I had to substitute buttermilk for plain yogurt and hazelnut oil for canola oil+almond extract, and they were so good I had people asking me for the recipe left and right. I just made them again but vegan-ized, with a banana instead of the egg and buttermilk, switched the sugar for maple syrup, and they still came out with the most moist-but-light consistency. This recipe is a keeper.
I made these little morsels last night for a co-worker’s birthday lunch today. SO Yummy! Surprisingly easy to throw together but a lip-smackingly lemon-y punch. I will definitely make these again.
Hi! These cute little cupcakes look fantastic! I was wondering if you knew what role the white vinegar plays in baking?
so i promised a friend i would make cupcakes for a driving/camping trip. he really wanted lemon cupcakes. so i go to make this recipe (midnight, the night before we go of course) and i’m out of flour, sugar, and muffin cups. well i used chickpea flour and honey instead of flour and sugar, and teeny tiny xmas muffin cups stashed way at the back of the cupboard, so i got a bazillion cupcakes…but they turned out so good! with chickpea flour! i was like no way!
thanks joy i love your blog!
My oh my was this a delicious recipe! I had a bunch of limes in my fridge, so I made the recipe with lime and almond oil and oh man it was good stuff! I used this mini tiered cakes pan (doubling the recipe) and drizzled icing all over, which promptly absorbed into the cakes in the most delicious way. YUM!!!!
Great recipe… but something went wrong in my kitchen… they tasted delicious but they oozed oil through the cupcake liners :( … I used olive oil, can that be the problem? Colour wise and taste wise they were really amazing, but they did not lift much… I’m going to try once more today for my kids Bday (together with the red velvet cake and carrot-cake cupcakes…yummy!) wish me luck!!
Greats from NL!
thanks for this recipe! I made some a few days ago and raved about them to my mom so much that she made me make another batch when I visited for the weekend.
I looked for hazelnut oil at the store but it was pretty expensive, so I went with olive oil instead. They tasted great but both times I made them they came out pretty greasy. The grease soaked right through the cupcake papers and the cakes themselves were really really crumbly. Is that because I used olive oil? I’m new to trying to alter recipes so I was wondering if you had a suggestion.
Thanks! I love your site! I want to try almost everything you post.
Hope you will accept this award!!
https://thehealthyapron.com/2010/03/18/the-sunshine-award.aspx
Hi Joy! I made these on Friday night. I used olive oil (because I couldn’t find any hazlenut oil.) I have to say they turned out very salty. And not in a good way. Maybe I did something wrong but I double checked and I followed the directions exactly. Maybe if you use olive oil there is no need for extra salt in the recipe?
I just stumbled upon your site tonight and LOVE this recipe. I am making my mother’s birthday cake this year. I have recently realized how reliant I have become on cake mixes (oh the horror!). So I have decided her cake will be “from scratch”…she wants a lemon cake, I attempted a recipe that fell flat…or never rose to begin with and now have 36 hours to find the perfect recipe and bake, frost and decorate before the big party!
The reason behind this long ramble is that I would love to make this recipe as a three layer 8 inch cake but am not sure of how much batter I will need. I am also concerned with the amount of oil a doubled recipe would need. Also would it be possible to add lemon juice to up the lemon flavor? I would love the Hazelnut to be a understated flavor with Lemon leading the show.
I’m sorry for all the questions, I hope you see this soon enough, but if not I will be sure to make this cake for a different occasion it sounds delicious!
~Deese
I’m sure that our Joy is way better versed at this than I am, but I find a recipe for 12 cupcakes usually makes 1 layer of a cake…
Thanks Debbi.
I ended up only doubling the recipe and making three short layers. With lemon curd between them and covered it all with a cream cheese Italian Buttercream. It was touch and go but all came together. One of my little sisters had three HUGE pieces over 2 days, she’s a running freak who wears a size 0 so it was mind boggling to watch!
This cake was amazing! I will be making it again.
oh wow these are really easy to make thank you for sharing :O)
Moving is just sooo hard.. I agree….Once…years ago…I said to myself “I’d rather have a baby than move “..after my four children were grown and we were downsizing…I thought to myself…well…i won’t say that again…but I lmost would…Love all your lemon goodies..just made the citrus cookies this wknd that you posted some time back.Yum!
A quick question – I notice that when I leave a comment, my Onsugar avatar shows up…is your site hosted on Onsugar?
I’m making these cakes today!
Sadly… your pictures of horribly unhealthy food and awesome writing are too detrimental to my diet… all I want is whatever you put up here. So, this is a complement! I promise. You’re too good! But for now, you’ll have to be off my reader. :( Sad pandas.
Jen
Will be back when she can eat what you document!
These look great!
I saw this today… and thought, we have lemons!! I could so make these… and I did. And they were amazing. Thanks!
Oh Joy! I am moving on a yearly basis, and every time I ask myself why oh why do I have so much stuff!!
The worst is that London kitchens tend to be mini-sized and I come with a whole trailer full of baking accessories, pans and obscure kitchen machines that I never really use..
I wish you all the best with the move, and a BIG kitchen in your new place! :)
(…and how you find the time to still make such delicious cakes in all the moving stress remains a mystery to me, you rock!)
If we ever move I will cry trying to pack up this house. My son could rival you with the stuffed animals and other such random stuff..and he’s 7! Good Luck with the move.
Lemon baked goods are loved in our house. I’ll give these a whirl and see what the kids think.
You know what else is delicious with hazelnuts? Grapefruit! I’m totally trying these with grapefruit :)
I’m scared of the stuff that’s living under my bed and in the back of my closet. I don’t want to know. That’s why i’ll probably stay in this apartment for the next 10 years…so I can avoid ever having to find out!
I just moved recently and it is insanity-provoking. Hope it’s all over soon! Sweet little cakes too — I do have some walnut oil lying around, and how much salad dressing can one girl make? :)
I moved in January (across the street, but moving is moving.) There’s nothing like cake to set you right during a week of stress. :-) Love the lemon glaze…delish!
Dwindling sanity, that would be me, too, this week.
Love me some muffins. And your eye-candy picts.
Great looking cakes.
It sounds like the Goodwill Thrift store is going to love you this week.
Moving is always stressful. I’ve done it more times than most. The little cakes look delish! Thanks for the recipe.
I love your suggestions for customizing. Not that lemon and hazelnut don’t already rock – YUM! I’ve always wondered about baking with nut oils – they’re so delicious, but I tend to just drizzle them on things (too boring!).
I read that walnut and other nut oils have a low smoke point and thus are not a good choice for baking. Guess you’ve found that not to be the case?
Good luck!
i find that nut oils are great to bake with! they’re not great to sautee or cook with because of the low smoke point, but they are lovely in cakes and such.
Hi, we don’t have, use, know… buttermilk, where I come from, so I was wondering, can I just use butter instead? How much butter for half a cup of buttermik do you think??? Thank’s a lot. You have a great blog:)
here’s what you can use instead of buttermilk!
https://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/10/the-best-buttermilk-substitutions/
this post made me giggle so much. Where did the baby sock come from? thats weird! and so many stuffed toys? are you taking them all with you to your new place? lol.
cupcakes look great must try these.
hope you are not rocking in a corner somewhere – gd luck with the move! x
wow crave me ! ><
I feel for you! (From a gal who moved at least once a year for 12 years of my life) There is a Czech saying that my auntie shared with me and I would now like to share with you: “It is better to burn your house down than to move.” Ok, not uplifting, but sure feels that way.
Good luck! And I’m impressed you are still baking & posting!
Nearly fell off my chair laughing at how you described all you found. Moving and packing is such hard work, I’ve done it one too many times in my life I think. Hope it all goes smoothly! x
I hope that moving is going well. We sort of moved when the baby came. I think they call it nesting. My version was just to take everything out of its place and maybe find new ones. My closet made me cry, too. I found a hammer. And a glittery scarf. I never wear scarves. And green leather leopard pants from a Halloween costume that might fit my over my foot now. Yeah, those tears were rough. Hope your new hip loft is as slammin’ as you hope.
I don’t think you’re being dramatic. Moving. And packing. Does things to people. Bad bad things. I had to move in a 95 degree heatwave once. Let’s just say that I was really thankful that one of the many things I unearthed in the process was a handle of vodka.
These look delicious! I can’t say I’ve ever seen a lemon and hazelnut combination but if it comes from you’re kitchen, I’ll believe that it’s amazing.
YUM! And moving is the WORST. We just did it and im pretty sure that if anyone saw my office they would ask if it had been burglarized.
At least you didn’t find any Spiders! (I found a big one living in my spice cupboard.) Now I want a minicake.
i am not jealous of the move…i get stressed out by having to pack for a trip let alone a real move! but just think about how new and fresh the new place will feel when you’re settled.
these cakes really scream springtime to me! love the idea of a moist zesty treat.
12 is a good number, I feel like most cupcake recipes end up making around…a trillion. 12 is good.
And you’re right! Studies have shown that moving is emotionally difficult. Studies may not have shown that cupcakes help things, but, well, they should.
well. you don’t know this, but i just adore you. you have the cutest little blogging voice. and really great recipes. you’re on my bookmark. and i don’t do bookmarks. keep on keepin’ on, sista.
Good luck with the move – this recipe looks great. I’m excited by how simple it is, and how I have all the ingredients on hand! And an abundance of lemons in the back yard…
you’re so not being dramatic. moving blows more than anything in the whole world. i mean really. can’t wait to try the cakes!
oh my hells yes, moving is the devil!
also, baby socks! I’ve got one for my cell phone and one for my ipod :)
those little cakes look delicious!!
Wow, you seem to be really busy this past week, I can’t believe you had time to bake these delicious sounding cakes!
i moved 18 months ago, and although i didn’t find anything wacky before i moved, i have yet to locate my highball glasses and my rolling pin (gasp!) Luckily i have enough wine bottles to substitute since Pi Day is Sunday!
I’m going to have to try these. Lately I’ve been using Ina Garten’s lemon pound cake recipe for my lemon cupcakes, but I’m just not happy with it anymore. I made it again last night in a mini bundt pan and I found it had an almost chewy texture.
Good luck with your move!
I have been trying to find something to bake with my hazelnut oil and these will be perfect!
These look delicious, perfect for brunch.
Good luck with the move :)
Ha ha! I love moving! Actually I really hate it, but I think you are super awesome for having the motivation to bake and move…that is something I could not do! Thanks for the sweet cupcakes!
Think positively Joy, you get to eat so much more of this goodness without having to exercise (think of all the calories you’re burning while you stress and move). Good luck with the change, enjoy looking back on what you find. Can’t wait to try these!
Have I ever told you how much I enjoy your blog and how much I want to meet you in person?? Probably haven’t because I haven’t commented before so here goes: adore your blog, your posts make me laugh and make me feel that I’m not the only insane person on the planet :D Kudos to you. And your recipes always look/taste lovely. Kudos again.
Moving is not fun. I 100% agree. I’ve found the best thing about it is that you purge all of those things you don’t want to take to the new place. So, while it isn’t fun packing, it is forced spring cleaning!
Yum on the cakes, by the way. My dad keeps sending me lemons from his tree in California and I need an excuse to use them.
I’ve moved 29 times and all I can say is: just throw or give stuff away. It makes everything easier…Less stuff, less hassles.
I love that you found a baby’s sock!! Those baby cakes look amazing!!!
I’d love to try these with almond oil!! Don’t get too down on the turtle thing, I too seem to have a knack for collecting random turtle trinkets. Good luck on the move!!
Good luck moving!
Mmmm… I love lemon desserts! There aren’t nearly enough of them.
Yummy cupcakes! And good luck with the moving thing. It’s no easy task but I’ve moved 5 times in the last 5 years and I’m still sane…for the most part. Unpacking is always more fun than packing.
I am sure i would love this little lemon hazelnut cakes!
Will try them! they look so delicious.
And good luck with the moving :)
I’m also moving soon, and the other day while packing I found a rock-hard dinner roll in a little baggy on top of my tall bookcase. I know exactly what restaurant that roll came from, and I haven’t eaten there for a loooong time. I hope you don’t find anything gross like that!
LOL. You find a lot of things when it’s time to move. I can’t wait to see what I find when I unpack since most of my things have been packed for the past year and a half…we’ve been trying to find the right place to call home. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
Best of luck with your move.
These look perfect and yummy!
Mmm, lovely little cakes. Looks like they’d be perfect for tea time.
Good luck on your move!
Moving IS the worst. At least you found your secret stuffed animal collection! :)
This looks good !
It’s true, when you move you find a whole lot of strange things and you start wondering where they actually came from, never mind, that’s the best opportunity to get rid of all the useless clutter and start afresh again. Good luck!
XXX
This recipe is goegeous! I love oil based cakes! So straightforward. I love the idea of using hazelnut oil.
Under your bed sounds cool, a regular under ground club for hipster kittens to party! x
Those cupcakes too mega sweet. I AM going to make them =) But firstly, I have a question. How many cupcake patties do you use for each cupcake? I usually double mine up. Is that the right way to go? Oh and I love, love, love your blog! It’s so FUN to read!
Thanks Joy,
Nastasja
what pretty little cuppies :) just what u need to deal with the insanity of moving. good luck with the move!
These are lovely!
Lemon is my best friend. Yum!
Moving is, indeed, AWFUL!! Best wishes for a quick move :)
And, um, I’ll just have one of these little cakes while you’re packing.
joy, re the move, so feel your pain, enjoy the surprises, to sanity!
Cupcakes look devine, i’ll be sure to try them soon, hazelnut and lemon – interesting combo! Thanks and all the best.
Those looks so moist and delicious! You don’t even want to know the thing I find in obscure places in my home. :)
These look just perfect! I love lemoney cakey sweets :)
Is that a real silver spoons?
I just snorted out the cup of tea I was drinking whilst reading about you finding the baby sock…love it!
Moving IS horrible, I couldn’t agree more, but those cupcakes look good, so that makes everything okay!
I saw the picture of these on your Twitter feed last night and actually dreamed about them in the wee hours of the morning. And now that I have to go to work, I’ll be dreaming about them when I should be paying attention in meetings. *sigh* I can’t explain the sock or the turtles, so I think you should have another cupcake for breakfast and consider the matter over coffee. ;)
everybody seems to be moving these days and has some scary stories to tell… its freaking me out! aaahhh. i mighty hate moving although i never properly have but kinda will have to later this month. to a different country. eekk.
at least you know youre going to a loft which is pretty darn cool! ;) i doubt ill find any affordable lofts in london, haha. reading your posts always makes me smile and i feel as though i might not be the only slightly coo-coo person in the world. and i mean that as a compliment! ;P
as im typing i have a piece of muffin stuck somewhere in my throat *cough*. it was a good muffin but maybe this wouldnt have happened if i had eaten yours, joy. delectable as usual i can imagine these pretty little darlings made with olive oil (or even infusec evoo!) and lemon zest… hmmm! :)
lol, the baby sock is random. When we moved a couple months back we found my long lost rainbow whisk under the sofa!
Honestly…moving does suck. A lot. Eat lots of these cakes to dull the pain! Hopefully you’ll be settled in quickly.
Oh, those cupcakes look so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe!