Bonus: Shelbourne & Mattingly: Part 10
Part 10: Aunt Leo’s Famous Bourbon-Drenched Lemon Cupcakes
Dear readers,
While Erie and Seth’s winter solstice story has reached its conclusion, I’ve discovered that some characters simply refuse to leave the page. Today, we slip into Aunt Leo's Kentucky Tea Parlour for a different kind of storytelling—one that comes with bourbon, lemon zest, and the quiet observations of a woman who’s witnessed twenty-two years of almost-touching transform into something beautiful.
Pour yourself a cup of tea (or something stronger if you prefer), and join Leona Shelbourne as she shares her famous cupcake recipe along with the secret history of a relationship that unfolded across countless tea parties, homework sessions, and lingering glances. After all, who better to chronicle this love story than the woman who kept the teapot warm through all those years of waiting?
(Since Trestle Ridge is a product of my imagination, your preferred bourbon will work perfectly fine—though Aunt Leo might insist nothing compares to what they’ve been perfecting at Shelbourne & Mattingly since 1936.)
And yes, there’s a kid-friendly version too—because even Riley and Macy deserve to taste something that, in the perfect wisdom of children, “tastes like sunshine.”
With gratitude for joining Seth and Erie on their journey,
Suzanne
Aunt Leo’s Famous Bourbon-Drenched Lemon Cupcakes
A note from Leona Shelbourne, proprietress of Aunt Leo’s Kentucky Tea Parlour
These cupcakes have seen every kind of Shelbourne and Mattingly celebration—from Christmas gatherings to birthday parties to college graduations. On winter solstice this year, my niece Erie and I baked six batches for the tearoom before dawn, the golden tops glistening with my signature bourbon glaze that catches the morning light just so. By the time Seth arrived for his morning Earl Grey, the cupcakes were gone—claimed by a rush of lost tourists hunting distillery directions and locals seeking the comfort of a warm cup of tea.
Seth made sure to let me know he didn’t get a cupcake, so I dropped off a fresh batch at the Mattingly house the next morning. Little did I know that would be the very same day Seth would say “yes” to Erie on the TODAY Show, right there in front of all of Rockland Springs and half the bourbon-drinking world.
Seth later told me that he and Erie meant to share a cupcake when they got back to the house, but apparently never got around to it. They were too “busy,” he said with that mischievous grin of his. Erie just rolled her eyes.
I couldn’t have been happier when Seth and Erie finally found their way to each other. Truth is, I’d known for years those two belonged together. They probably didn’t realize how I’d been paying attention all this time, witnessing twenty-two years of longing unfold through every season. How during childhood tea parties, little Seth would always save the last cupcake for Erie, carefully hiding it behind the napkin holder when the other boys were grabbing seconds. How through high school, they’d huddle at my corner table after classes, somehow transforming frustrating algebra problems into elaborate inside jokes that left them breathless with laughter. How Seth’s face fell when I helped Erie get ready for her prom date with Troy Vincent—Seth actually dropping his teacup when she emerged in my vintage blue cocktail dress from 1963, the one with the beaded bodice she’d been eyeing for months.
And then, during their summers home from college, Seth suddenly developed his daily “tea habit” whenever Erie was working behind my counter, making a pot of Earl Grey last for hours while sketching in that worn notebook.
But now! Now my tearoom gets to witness the sweetest chapter yet! They sit at that same corner table sharing tea and these lemon cupcakes, exchanging glances that would melt butter. His star-sapphire ring catches the morning light when he reaches for her hand—no more of that almost-touching I watched for two decades. Sometimes Seth feeds her bites of cupcake across the table while tourists pretend not to stare at the couple who made headlines with their TODAY Show proposal. And I just keep refilling their teapot, smiling to myself because the truth is as plain as the blue willow pattern on my best china: some recipes require patience, but oh my heavens, aren’t the sweetest ones worth the wait?
The world knows about Seth’s diagnosis now, of course. I see it in the gentle way people watch them, in the hushed voices when they mention that young couple with so little time. But what those folks don’t understand—what only those of us who’ve known Seth his whole life can see—is that these two aren’t living a tragedy. They’re teaching us all a masterclass in savoring each moment. When Seth laughs with Erie over their morning tea, time seems to expand rather than contract. I’ve lived five decades on this earth and never seen anyone extract more joy from a single day than these two. They’re not spending their precious time counting down; they’re making every second count up toward something beautiful.
After all, the secret to these cupcakes isn’t in the lemon zest or even the Trestle Ridge bourbon—it’s in the waiting. The way the bourbon seeps slowly into the cake after baking, how it transforms what’s already beautiful into something worth remembering.
The truth is, these cupcakes are just vessels for connection. In all my years of watching Shelbourne and Mattingly children grow up, I’ve learned that the best recipes are the ones that bring people together—even when what’s keeping them apart is nothing but their own stubborn hearts.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a tearoom to run and a chalkboard sign to fix before Seth adds another inappropriate message about drinking our enemies’ tears.
~ Leona Shelbourne
The Recipe
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 oz Trestle Ridge Small Batch bourbon (I occasionally swipe a splash from Warehouse Eight when Harriet isn’t looking)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the bourbon soak:
1/4 cup Trestle Ridge bourbon
1/4 cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves)
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons Trestle Ridge bourbon
Yellow food coloring (optional, but pretty)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer).
Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting for each to incorporate before adding the next.
Mix in sour cream, bourbon, lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger, and vanilla.
Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture. Mix until flour disappears—the batter should be light and fluffy.
Spoon batter into paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cupcakes bake, combine 1/4 cup bourbon and 1/4 cup simple syrup in a small bowl.
When cupcakes are done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack, still in their tin. While still warm, use a toothpick to poke 5-6 holes in the top of each cupcake.
Spoon the bourbon soak over each warm cupcake, about 1-2 teaspoons per cupcake, allowing the liquid to seep in slowly. (This is best done with music playing—Brother Elias claims patience is a virtue, but bourbon and Patsy Cline never hurt either.)
After cupcakes have cooled completely, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and bourbon until smooth. Add more bourbon or sugar to adjust consistency—it should be thick but pourable.
Drizzle glaze over cooled cupcakes and allow to set for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Tea pairing suggestion: Earl Grey (for Seth), Oolong (for Erie), or Lapsang Souchong (if you’re feeling adventurous like Brother Elias).
For the Little Ones (Riley and Macy’s Version)
When Riley and Macy visit with Gabe and Jess, I make a special batch. These little ones are already sweet enough without adding bourbon to the mix! Simply follow the recipe above with these adjustments:
For the cupcakes:
Replace the 2 oz of bourbon with 2 oz of apple juice (Macy’s favorite) or an extra splash of vanilla (Riley’s preference)
For the bourbon soak:
Replace with 1/4 cup honey-lemon syrup (1/4 cup honey warmed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water)
For the glaze:
Skip the bourbon and use only powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a touch of milk
The first time I served these to the children, Riley announced they tasted “like sunshine,” which I consider high praise coming from my great-nephew. Macy always asks if he can decorate his with rainbow sprinkles.
Need to catch up?
