Lemon Cupcakes w/ Goat Cheese Icing
I’ve seen recipes lately that call for goat cheese icing, but I wanted to attempt an entire recipe–cake and icing–using only goat dairy. My first attempt at an icing was all goat cheese and the result was simply too much goat flavor. I didn’t use goat butter simply because the grocery store didn’t have any. The final recipe uses a cupcake batter based on buttermilk cake, and the icing combines both goat cheese and cream cheese–resulting in a tart, almost lemon yogurt flavor.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F
Cupcake Batter
1/2 cup softened butter, unsalted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup goat milk (plus 2 tblsp fresh lemon juice)
In small bowl combine goat milk and lemon juice, set aside for 5-10 minutes.
In mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Add lemon zest and extract.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with goat milk in 2 batches.
Use ice cream scoop to fill cupcake tins. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool and ice.
Goat Cheese Icing
8 oz. plain goat cheese
3 oz. plain cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (slightly more if needed)
juice of 1/2 lemon
zest of 2 lemons
Beat goat cheese and cream cheese until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add sugar and beat on high for another minute. Add in lelmon juice and rind and beat until combined. Mix in more sugar, by the tablespoon, if mixture is too loose or too tart.
Looks delicious! I’ve been running into a bit of the Goat Cheese icing lately also. I love it! I work with Chavrie (the pyramid shaped fresh goat cheese) and I’m looking for new, unique ways to use goat cheese (especially with dessert). I love this recipe, Thanks!
Lemon cake is a favorite of mine and the goat cheese icing seems like it would compliment it well.
I love the citric flavor of lemon! That cupcake looks yummy!
Goat cheese icing huh? How interesting. It looks really yummy!
Gourmet Girl staff are big fans of goat cheese and you have just proven once again the versatility of this wonderful cheese.
Will give them try as a Valentine treat for everyone. Thanks for sharing.
These look utterly delicious!! I love everything with goat’s cheese! What a good alternative!
These sound and look wonderful. Goat cheese icing, totally unique to me, but sounds perfect.
Oh, what a marvelous idea to use goat cheese in the icing! These look delicious and I can’t wait to try the recipe!