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.
Lilly Higgins
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
Nastasja
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
Katrina
These are lovely!
Lemon is my best friend. Yum!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
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.
ang
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.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Those looks so moist and delicious! You don’t even want to know the thing I find in obscure places in my home. :)
Estela @ Weekly Bite
These look just perfect! I love lemoney cakey sweets :)
Jennifer Jo
Is that a real silver spoons?
Leigh
I just snorted out the cup of tea I was drinking whilst reading about you finding the baby sock…love it!
Danger Kitten
Moving IS horrible, I couldn’t agree more, but those cupcakes look good, so that makes everything okay!
Shauna
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. ;)
PastryPrincess
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! :)
Joe @ Eden Kitchen
lol, the baby sock is random. When we moved a couple months back we found my long lost rainbow whisk under the sofa!
The Duo Dishes
Honestly…moving does suck. A lot. Eat lots of these cakes to dull the pain! Hopefully you’ll be settled in quickly.
Karin
Oh, those cupcakes look so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe!