Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Last night we had our Standard's Night in Young Women's. It was amazing--like a miniature Time Out For Women for our gals. They rotated to different rooms where different ward members spoke about various For Strength of Youth topics. I loved it. What I liked most was the restricted time amount in each room--and so each speaker had to get straight to the point. There wasn't a lot of room for fluff.

Speaking of fluff--we had divine fluffy cupcakes served as refreshments. LOVE THESE.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Stacy Hanks

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup buttermilk
1   15 oz can pumpkin
2  ¼ cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp allspice
1 TBS baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Beat sugars and oil, add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add pumpkin and buttermilk until incorporated.  Combine dry ingredients and add to pumpkin.  Beat till creamy.  Grease or line muffin pans, fill 2/3 full bake at 350 18-22 min for regular 10-15 for mini


Frosting

8 oz cream cheese-soft
½ cup butter-soft
3 ¼ -4 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
2-4 TBS water

Beat cream cheese and butter.  Add half of sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.  Add remaining sugar and use water to get it to the desired consistency.  Beat until fluffy.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar

Zucchini Cupcakes

Tis the season for zucchini!!! I have my new ward's cookbook and heard some ladies carrying on and on about Stephanie's zucchini cupcakes. Tonight, Brent bbqed so I was off the hook for dinner. So, I made dessert (rarely happens anymore...so sad!). Let me tell you--they are amazing!!! Partly because the cupcake includes almond extract and the yummy autumn spices--cinnamon and cloves. But also because it involves a caramel frosting!!! So, grow those zucchini and make these cupcakes! You won't regret it!

Zucchini Cupcakes
Stephanie Bringhurst

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice, and extract together. Combine the dry ingredients separately then add to the egg mixture and mix well. Add zucchini and mix well. Fill 18-24 greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 cup full. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool before frosting.


Caramel Frosting
1 cup brown sguar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until it reaches a spreading consistency.

My Go-To Cupcake recipe

I can't take credit for this recipe. My friend had this "doctored up" version on her blog and now it's the only way I make cupcakes. Super sweet and so yummy and moist, not dry like normal cake mixes. My only complaint is that they fall flat, which I've noticed happens more if I whip the batter too much so try to stir just until the ingredients are fully blended.

No matter, though, since I cover them in homemade cream cheese frosting and you can't see the tops anyway. And no picture, since you all know what cupcakes look like :) Maybe I'll post one later when I'm not so lazy.

Cake Mix (any brand, any flavor)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 small box instant pudding (to match your cake mix, like vanilla for yellow or vanilla cake, or chocolate for chocolate cake. I've never made any other kind of cupcake, though, so I don't know what to do with red velvet mixes. I wonder what banada pudding would do to a cake mix though....)

Mix all together and bake according to package directions. These actually make like 25-26 cupcakes.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Unlike Celeste, I am not experienced with baking gorgeous cupcakes. So, in preparation for the wedding I've been experimenting. I found this recipe, but failed at making it the first two times. I was determined and found some tips for baking in high elevation (even though I don't think I've ever really been impacted by it before). The final result was perfection. This recipe is fairly easy to make and feels so gourmet. Hopefully Celeste will frost all my cupcakes if I make the frosting and bag it for her before...please please please!

By the way, when making homemade cupcakes, do not overfill the liners. Just fill a little over halfway. Or just halfway. They overflow very easily!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes
recipe by ourbestbites.com

HE will stand for High Elevation. You Washington/Oregon people don't need to worry your little heads about this!

CUPCAKES:
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder (HE 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar (HE minus 1 TBSP)
(dark brown sugar is REALLY important!)
1/2 c. sugar (HE minus 1/2 TBSP)
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk (plus 1 TBSP)

Preheat oven to 350 (HE 375 degrees). Using 18 cupcake liners, line muffin tins. I used paper liners, but I think foil would be a better choice.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl (preferably the bowl of an electric mixer), combine sugars and butter together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 1 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and allow to cool completely.

TO GO ON TOP:
Sara's Perfect Cupcake Frosting
About 1/2 c. caramel sauce or buttermilk syrup
12 Werther's soft caramels
Dipping chocolate (just a wee bit), made with bittersweet or dark chocolate; I used 4 oz. of chocolate with 1 tsp. canola oil and had plenty leftover
Kosher or sea salt

Prepare dipping chocolate. Dip the ugly side of the caramel into the chocolate, about halfway down the caramel. Place chocolate-side-up on a plate and then allow to harden.


Prepare Sara's Perfect Cupcake Frosting. This is a really fun way to make frosting. It does turn out fluffy. I've loved making it!

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I used non-fat when it's all I have and it's actually fine)
1/2 C real butter
1/2 C sugar (that's granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still it through a mesh strainer (just whisk the mixture in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) and then let it cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, not the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7 minutes. Yes, 7 whole minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. I know that seems like a long time, but that's when the magic happens!

You will be scared because it will look like a weird goopy mess at first and you'll wonder what on earth you did wrong. Keep beating and something amazing happens. It goes from that goopy mess to something thick, velvety smooth, and perfectly fluffy. Use it to fill cupcakes or other pastries, or as a frosting on top. You can't go wrong putting this on just about anything :)

One batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes with BIG tops. If you're just spreading a little on top, it will do 24.

After trouble-shooting with a lot of people, here are some helpful Notes:

1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.

2. If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can. It should come together, but it takes a little patience!

3. Store at room temperature in a sealed container. Frosting may separate in the fridge, but you can store it overnight if left at room temp and in a well sealed container.


Very gently mix the caramel sauce or buttermilk syrup into the frosting--you want there to be swirls of caramel visible. Add a little more if you want--this is an art, not science here!

After you've frosted the cupcakes (dollops work fine on these), top each cupcake with a chocolate-dipped caramel and then sprinkle with a VERY scant sprinkling of Kosher or sea salt--it's just a little garnish and a really enhances the flavors of the cupcake.

Lemon Cupcakes

Okay, I know we already have a lemon cupcake recipe on our blog that is amazing. But, this one is different and from scratch. I've been experimenting with different recipes for Brent's brother's wedding. If I wasn't already doing the lime coconut ones, I would definitely do this one. They are so light and so fluffy and so yummy. I could eat them all day (and have been).


Lemon Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) of REAL butter
3 c. cake flour (no substitutions here--you really need the lightness of cake flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons (just zest the other lemons before you squeeze them)
1 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners (I used yellow, although white would also be cute).

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Don't go skimping here--you want the mixture to be almost white and super fluffy. This is absolutely essential to the outcome of the cake.
While butter and sugar are mixing, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside. After butter and sugar have mixed sufficiently, With the mixer running, add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until fully incorporated.

Using a standard cookie scoop, place about 2 scoops of batter into each muffin cup. Fill these almost to the top--due to the final texture (again, think super-moist and light pound cake), these cupcakes won't have a nice, curvy crown, but that's okay--no one will ever know or care.

Bake about 20-25 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. You don't want to overbake these even a bit, or they'll start to lose their delicious moisture. Remove from oven and cool completely. Frost with lemon buttercream and garnish with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or fresh mint leaves.

Lemon Buttercream

1 1/4 c. butter (2 1/2 sticks)
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 c. powdered sugar

Beat butter, lemon rind, and lemon juice in an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating to spreading consistency. Makes 2 3/4 c.

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Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

For Brent & Bryan's brother John's wedding reception, the girls are in charge of cupcakes. It's been so fun trying new recipes and searching for the one to make. I found this one on Nie Nie's recipe blog (linked on our blog below). I made these today and they are worth the time and effort. I may not make them frequently, but when I'm wanting to impress--I'm sticking with these. I think I've eaten 6 already.

Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
{from CuisineNie who adapted it from Food Network}
Makes a whole lot (2 dozen).

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined.

Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.


The Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream Fresh lime slices, for garnish

While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined.

Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest.

* If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.

April Fools Day Cupcakes (and a dinner idea)

I can't take credit for these cute and fun cupcakes. First, they are in a book called Hello Cupcake that has lots of cute ideas for April Fool's Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, birthday, etc. Second, my friend Summer made these last year for her family and I thought they were super cute. I happened to already have the book so I took the time to make them for my family this year.

First, all I did was buy some foil cupcake pans at the store. There are three in a package and they come with the liners too.

Second, I baked up some cupcakes. I decided on vanilla. I also had some leftover cupcakes and made some mini cupcakes, which was a good idea (if I do say so myself) because I ended up using them later on. Just make sure you don't overfill these cupcakes. Two-thirds and no more!

Peas and Carrots

Tint frosting green. I used green Runts and diced orange Starburst.

Mashed Potatoes

Pile on the white frosting, making a well in the center and building up the wall a little. Put a yellow Starburst a little off center and pour on some warm caramel sauce for the "gravy", letting it spill over a little.

Chicken Legs

Frost the cupcake, then secure a mini cupcake (or small doughnut hole) off center with toothpicks. Build it up with frosting until it looks like a cone and then roll around in cornflake crumbs. For the bone, I piped some melted white chocolate into a bone shape and let it set in the freezer, then stuck it on the top.

For dinner, we had mashed potato "sundaes" where we layered mashed potatoes, popcorn chicken and corn into sundae glasses, topped with gravy and a cherry tomato. Super cute and my kids loved eating out of fancy glasses (I got them at the dollar store).

It's a terrible picture and I used instant mashed potatoes which weren't as stiff as homemade, but you get the point, right? I stuck in some Garlic Ranch Breadsticks from the Barefoot and Baking blog too. They were twisted so they kind of looked like a cookie and they were soooo yummy! You can't go wrong with garlic and ranch dressing!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Just in time for Valentine's Day, here is a yummy and special treat you can make for your family and friends! Red Velvet Cupcakes! It took me a while to like the taste of red velvet, but this recipe is awesome! Red velvet isn't meant to be a chocolate cake in the color of red, it's more of a mix between chocolate and vanilla cake, with a denser texture. It is really moist, and looks amazing (hello! It's ruby red in color!). But enough typing, more eating.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cocoa powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 T red food coloring
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. (Sifting is important here because it helps the texture to be more fluffy). In a large bowl gently beat the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the went and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake papers, about 2/3 full. (I find it really easy and lots cleaner to pour the batter in a gallon-size baggie and snip of a corner. Then I can just squeeze the amount of batter in the cupcake liner without dripping all over the pan like I do when I fill with a spoon.) Bake in oven 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once halfway through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Modified from Paula Deen

Cream Cheese Frosting (the best part!)

1 cube butter, softened
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time and vanilla.

Isn't the color beautiful?? It just screams VALENTINE'S DAY!!

I frosted mine with a large star tip, and topped it with sliced almonds I chopped up a bit. You can use chopped pecans, shredded coconut, or nothing!

Banana Cupcakes

I got this recipe from the Bakerella blog (LOVE HER) and had to try it the minute I saw it. I love the Banana Cake my friend Rachel shared with me, but these little cupcakes are so yummy too. They are very light in color and dense, which is perfect for me. A little note: When baking them, do not overbake. Bakerella baked hers 12-15 minutes; mine went more like 20 minutes. Just keep checking with a toothpick and when it comes out clean, they are done. Don't let them get too golden or they will be chewy. And the frosting recipe makes enough for at least 3 batches of the cupcakes, and the cupcake recipe is only for 12 cupcakes so I tripled the cupcake recipe. Also, when it says to have the eggs, milk, butter and cream cheese at room temperature, do it! I left mine out on the counter a couple of hours. Just follow the recipe. It is really yummy and my kids and Adam love it!

Photo courtesy of Bakerella

Banana Cupcakes



1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large ripe banana (or almost 1 cup)
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tray with 12 baking cups.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer for about four minutes. Add banana and mix until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add half the flour in three additions alternating with milk in two additions. Scrape down the sides with each addition. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until done.



Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting



1/2 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box (1lb) of confectioner's sugar
Buttercup yellow icing color (optional)

Cream butter and cream cheese in mixer until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla, then add sugar in small batches until combined and creamy (I sifted my powdered sugar to make sure the frosting wasn't lumpy). Add a small amount of buttercup yellow icing color to frosting and mix (Bakerella did this to tie in the "banana" color to the cupcakes and it isn't really necessary but I did it and liked the effect. I just used regular yellow gel color).

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Babies

I made these tonight for the Cub Scout Spaghetti Dinner and Bake Sale - and I thought I was a real trooper giving these away because they were so dang good! They are way easy to make, but sound super gourmet, and they make about 20 cupcakes, so you can share with friends (or not - I recommend eating them all yourself.) I didn't use the Cool Whip and cherries because the Cool Whip would have melted by the time someone bought them, and cherries are gross. But if you eat these at home, I would highly recommend the whipped topping of your choice and maybe a drizzle of chocolate syrup!

1 pkg. brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter (I guessed on this and probably used more)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
20 maraschino cherries (totally optional)

Mix brownies according to package directions. Spoon into 20 paper-lined muffin cups. I sprayed my paper liners with cooking spray because the Kraft website reviews stated that the brownies stuck to the liners. Spraying them prevents this.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla with mixer until smooth. Spoon one rounded Tablespoon into center of batter in each cup, pressing down slightly into batter. **Note - I placed a sandwich bag inside a cup and filled the bag with the cream cheese mixture, sealed the bag, cut an opening in the bottom corner, and piped the cream cheese mixture in. It was much faster and cleaner, and since "pressing" the mixture is sort of hard because it's so soft, you can place the tip of the sandwich bag slightly into the batter and squeeze away. You should have plenty of cream cheese mixture, so put plenty on. I had a little leftover. Bake 30 minutes or until middle is set. Mine baked about 27 minutes. Let cool completely! And eat away!

Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes

For some reason I totally forgot about these cupcakes. I made them last year for some picnics and barbecues and they were gone within minutes. They are very easy to make and the lemon taste is very light, so they aren't too sweet. I got this off the Kraft website- you can't go wrong with them! It makes 24 regular size cupcakes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes

1 box (2 layer size) white cake mix
1 box (3.4 oz) Jello lemon flavor instant pudding
1 cup water
4 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1- 16 oz package powdered sugar
1- 8 oz brick cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 350ºF. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, egg whites and oil in large bowl with mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined muffin tins.

Bake 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter and juice with mixer on low speed until well blended. Frost cupcakes. An option is to add 1 tsp lemon zest to the frosting for an extra zing, but I don't like the texture of the zest so I don't do that.

Enjoy!

The Best Ever Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

Most of you that know me know that I am not a cake and ice cream person. I have my moments of glory, but most of the time I don't want cake or ice cream (let's just say birthday parties at my house involve lots of food because I don't like the birthday party staples of cake and ice cream and a girl has to eat something at a party!). Anyway, my friend Kendra makes these awesome cupcakes and they gave us some when we helped her husband with car issues. Now, remember how much I don't like cake? Well, now I crave it. Those cupcakes are sooooo delicious and I could eat them all day. And now I am sharing the recipe. Am I the coolest or what?

1 box chocolate cake mix- Mix the batter as stated on the box, however do it in this order:
*Eggs- beat until frothy and light yellow
*Add water and oil and ONE HALF (1/2) large box of chocolate cook n' serve pudding mix
*Then add the chocolate cake mix and a small amount of vanilla (around 1/2 tsp or so)

Cream Cheese Filling:
1 8oz brick cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla
mini chocolate chips (optional)
*Mix all ingredients, adding as many (or none) chocolate chips as desired

Spoon cupcake batter into paper cupcake liners as usual, adding about one teaspoon of cream cheese batter in the centers. Spoon a tiny amount of batter on top of cream cheese, although it's okay if the cream cheese is still showing.

Bake according to your cake mix box instructions, although my friend said hers were supposed to go in 18-22 minutes and she took them out at 13-15 minutes. You want the toothpick to come out almost clean. Frost with whatever frosting you want and top with sprinkles. My friend used a pink frosting and piped it on with a jagged point, then added some pink crystal/glittery type sprinkles on top, and put a small silver edible ball in the very center. They were way elegant and yummy!

* Celeste made these recently and loved them. She said that you should only fill the cupcake liners up about halfway, then add the cream cheese filling, and then spoon some more batter on top of the cream cheese. If you fill the cupcake liners up too much to begin with, the cupcakes will be a little too big, plus you can make more cupcakes if you use less batter for each liner. She also said there was leftover filling so put more than a teaspoon, maybe 2 tsp or something? She said the cupcakes with more filling were better than those with less. Of course- it's cream cheese! It makes everything taste better!

Lemon Blossoms (which is another name for HEAVEN!!)

I made these for a ward function, and they were literally gone in like 5 minutes. At least I saved myself a few at home! They are so good - like old fashioned donuts with lemon!!!

Cupcakes:
18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix
3 1/2-ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze: 4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.
With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.