Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners - set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, baking powder, protein powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, mix together softened butter and Swerve Granular until creamy.  On medium speed add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.  Mix until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add almond milk and mix until combined.  Remove mixer bowl and stir a few times with a spatula.
5. Pour the batter evenly into each cupcake liner.  Place in the oven, and bake the cupcakes for 17-19 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean; you do not want it to come out completely dry.
6. Let cake cool in pan for at least 5-10 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pan and place on cooling rack.

Raspberry Filling

1. Combine raspberries, Swerve Confectioners, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until raspberries break down, Swerve dissolves, and sauce is heated through around 12-15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and press sauce through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3. Place back on stove top at medium- low heat and add xantham gum, whisking quickly to thicken (1-2 minutes)- remove from stove top and set aside to let continue to thicken and come to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In an electric mixer or with a hand mixer on medium high speed, mix cream cheese until smooth.
2. Then add Swerve Confectioners and beat until smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients and beat on medium high for 10 minutes.
4. Place into icing bag with icing tip of choice, and frost each cupcake.

Assembly

1. Take individual cupcake and with a small spoon or knife, make a hole about a ½ of an inch long and wide - can make the hole as big as you want- just want to make sure the raspberry isn’t leaking out of the bottom or side of the cooled cupcake.
2. Place raspberry filling in hole, and then cover top of cupcake with frosting. Garnish with a raspberry and lemon zest if you are feeling wild and crazy. Eat immediately or within three days.

Makes 9 cupcakes.