Citrus Cupcakes

                    With gloomy weather headed this way, I needed something sunshiny to brighten the day.  What is more sunshiny than citrus fruits.  I had a bag of grapefruits in the fridge.  I had recently seen an episode of Cupcake Wars on Food Network where a contestant had made grapefruit cupcakes.  I thought it would be a great way to use a grapefruit.

                    I adjusted the recipe from Food Network which you can find here.

                    The final result is not one where you will be pursing your lips.  You can definitely taste the citrus in the cupcake, but my picky 9 year old didn't flinch when I told him that there was grapefruit juice in it.  He gave me a look like "what, you just gave me a cupcake with grapefruit in it?  How could you?"  He then proceeded to take another.



Ingredients

1. 1 Cup white whole wheat flour
2. 1 Cup cake flour
3. 2 tsp baking powder
4. 1/2 Cup oil (I used canola)
5. 1 1/2 Cups sugar
6. 1/3 Cup of Sprite, or Sierra Mist  (I used Sierra Mist because it doesn't have high fructose corn syrup)
7. 1/4 Cup fresh grapefruit juice
8. 1 Tsp grapefruit zest
9. 5 eggs (separated)
10. 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
11. 1/2 tsp salt

In one bowl combine the flours, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk together and put aside.

In a mixing bowl mix the egg yolks and oil.  Mix until the mixture thickens a little.

Then add the sugar and mix to combine.

Then add the soda slowly.  Add the zest.  When the bubbles have gone down, mix the ingredients.  You should have a lovely grapefruit smell.

 Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

 In another bowl, whip the egg whites.  When they become frothy, add the cream of tartar.  Continue whipping until you get stiff peaks.

Fold the whites into the egg yoke mixture, but only 1/3 at a time.  If you have some white still showing it's ok.

In a prepared cupcake pan, scoop the cupcake batter into the cupcake holders.  Fill it up 3/4 of the way.

Bake at 350F.  It took 15 minutes for the cupcakes to bake.

For the icing I used a simple vanilla buttercream.

1 Cup of softened butter.
2 Cups powdered or icing sugar
1 Tbl of vanilla
2 or more Tbl of milk.  It depends on what consistency you like.

 Mix all of the ingredients together.

Frost the cupcakes once they are cooled or the icing will just melt.