Watercress Lemon Cupcakes

Yes. I said, "Watercress Lemon Cupcakes". These are based on a basic cupcake recipe,

with a little watercress and lemon to add zing.

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

• For the cupcakes:
• 1 cup, packed watercress leaves, stalks discarded
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line or grease a muffin tray.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the watercress, vanilla, zest and lemon juice.
3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to gently combine.
4. Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

The batter looks like any other cupcake batter, just with little green bits of watercress.

The cupcakes smell so good!

You can serve the cupcakes without frosting. They are moist and delicious.

Or, you can make a simple buttercream frosting, like I did here.

1/4 C butter, softened

2 1/2 C confectioners' sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 T lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a large mixer bowl. Beat until thoroughly blended and creamy.

Frosts 12 cupcakes.

Garnish with lemon zest and a watercress leaf. Enjoy.

Wicker flats

Did you know? In the Victorian Era watercress was hugely popular. Mostly due to the fact that the railway was created and enabled farmers to ship tons of watercress. The farmers would pack the watercress in wicker flats and the street vendors would buy it, then sell it in bunches to the public.

photo courtesy of watercress.co.uk