Instructions

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

1. In a large skillet, whisk together the sugar and water and bring to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Lay the lemon slices in a single layer in the sugar syrup and simmer for 15 minutes until the rinds have softened, flipping halfway through cooking. Carefully place lemon slices on a sheet of parchment paper and let dry to room temperature. Lemon slices will still be sticky. Place sugar for dipping on a plate and coat each lemon slice with sugar and set aside.

LEMON BUTTER CUPCAKES

1. Adjust and oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar-lemon mixture and increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl as necessary.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the vanilla extract and egg yolks one at a time. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating it with the buttermilk with 2 additions. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix the batter by hand with a rubber spatula to blend in any bits of flour that remain.
6. With a 3 tablespoon sized ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake cup with cake batter. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers come out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cupcakes cool in their pans on wire racks about 10 minutes, and then invert them on the wire racks to cool completely.

SWEET TEA SYRUP

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the tea bags. Simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove the tea bags and continue to cook until the mixture has reduced to about ¼ cup, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

SWEET TEA BUTTERCREAM

1. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk them together by hand to combine. In a medium saucepan filled with a couple of inches of water, place mixer bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the mixer bowl doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl.
2. Heat over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reaches 160 degrees,
   whisking intermittently. Once the egg white mixture reaches 160 degrees, carefully move to the mixer stand, with the whisk attachment attached, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 10 minutes, until medium stiff peaks form. The mixer bowl should be about room temperature at this point. Switch out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and with the mixer on low speed, add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add the vanilla extract and combine. Once combined, turn up the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the buttercream is silky and smooth, about 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the cooled Sweet Tea Syrup. Mix until combined.