Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add
• eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in
• vanilla and lemon peel. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking
• soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream,
• beating well after each addition.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for
• 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
• out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire
• racks to cool completely.
• Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a
• small round pastry tip. Fill with lemon curd. Push the tip through
• the top of each cupcake to fill.
• For syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon
• juice, basil and lemon peel. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is
• reduced to 1 cup. Strain; discard basil and peel. Cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, 3 tablespoons
• lemon syrup, vanilla, lemon peel and extract until smooth. Fold in
• whipped cream. Frost cupcakes. (Cover and refrigerate remaining
• syrup for another use.)
• Place corn syrup and sugar in small bowls. Dip paintbrush in corn
• syrup; brush over a basil leaf. Coat leaf with sugar. Repeat.
• Garnish cupcakes with basil leaves. Store cupcakes in the
• refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.