Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Cake
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix flour, baking powder and salt together
Mix buttermilk and egg whites
Mix lemon zest with sugar, until sugar is fragrant
Mix butter into sugar mixture
Add extracts
Add one third of flour mixture beat until smooth
Add one half egg/buttermilk mixture beat until smooth
Add one third of flour mixture beat until smooth
Add the rest of the buttermilk mixture and beat until smooth
Add remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth
Mix batter for an additional 2 minutes to make sure the batter is well aerated

Fill cupcake papers, the recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.
Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1 stick of butter at room temperature 
Juice from 2 lemons
1/2 tsp.vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of powered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract mix until smooth.  Slowly add powdered sugar, one cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Fill piping bag and pipe frosting on the cupcakes.