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By Root 1017 0

with lemon cupcakes. Take them to a potluck and those who don’t love chocolate will thank you. Bring them to a bake sale and you’ll have buyers young and old. There isn’t a season or a time or a place that doesn’t welcome the flavor of fresh lemons. All you need for this recipe—besides the basics—are lemons! Use a large one for the cupcakes and a medium-size lemon to make the frosting.

makes:

22 to 24 cupcakes (2½ inches in diameter)

prep:

15 minutes

bake:

20 to 25 minutes

cool:

20 minutes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2½-inch size)

1 large or 2 small lemons

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

3 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup warm water

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

Lemony Buttercream Frosting (page 469)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners and set the pans aside.

2. Rinse the lemon and pat it dry with paper towels. Grate enough zest to measure about 1 tablespoon. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze 1/3 cup of lemon juice into a small bowl.

3. Place the lemon zest and juice in a large mixing bowl. Add the cake mix, pudding mix, granulated sugar, water, oil, and eggs and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1½ to 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well blended.

4. Spoon or scoop about 1/3 cup of cupcake batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.)

5. Place the pans in the oven and bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of the cupcake cups, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the pans using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the pans carefully with your fingertips. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes longer before frosting.

6. Meanwhile, make the Lemony Buttercream Frosting.

7. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cup-cake and spread it out with a short metal spatula or spoon, taking care to cover the top completely. The cupcakes are then ready to serve.

Keep It Fresh! Store these cupcakes, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to three days or for up to one week in the refrigerator. Freeze the cupcakes, in a cake saver or wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to three months. Let the cupcakes thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipe Reminders

MADE FOR

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PREP NOTES

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DON’T FORGET

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SPECIAL TOUCHES

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WHITE SOUR CREAM CUPCAKES

EITHER SOUR CREAM OR YOGURT works well in this simple recipe—as does your choice of a liquid, whether it’s water or orange juice. Bake these and frost them with Cream Cheese Frosting for serving at home. Top the cupcakes with a thin smear of orange marmalade before frosting them for a cupcake perfect for afternoon tea or a bridal luncheon. Flavor the batter with a bit of almond extract or use orange juice as the liquid to turn them into cup-cakes custom-made for a wedding, especially if arranged on a cupcake tree. The garnishes are limitless—try white