Frosty Lemon Cupcakes

 
     We just hosted our 3rd annual Cookies & Cocoa with the Cates' party on Saturday.  It's something that we look forward to every year--having my husband's med students friends (and mine!) over for a Christmas dessert party.  This gives me the chance to bake whatever yummy confection I want to, and that's just what I do!  This year so many friends came, and I made so much food, so it was a huge success!   The menu included my Christmas Linzer Cookies, Frosty Lemon Cupcakes, Coconut Macaroons (some with drizzled chocolate), Candy Cane Bark, Assorted Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks, Frosted Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Truffle and Hazelnut Truffles, Chocolate dipped Marshmallows, Homemade Hot Cocoa, and Hot Spiced Wassail!!!  Yes,  I made everything!  It was a blast to be able to have fun in the kitchen and bake for days.  One of mine and Heath's personal favorites are the Frosty Lemon Cupcakes.  This is a very simple recipe that come from the "famous" lemon cake Mom makes every Thanksgiving.  The base is just a box cake mix that is all dressed up for the Holidays!  I'm not sure I made these cupcakes quite as ridiculously moist as her cake, but they were pretty darn tasty to me!  They actually became our breakfast the next morning, too!

     If you are a lemon lover, then you will die over these!  Moist lemon cake that is doused in real lemon juice with a beautifully frosty, sweet glaze that run off the top and down the sides of these baby cakes!  What's not to love?!?  Also, I really appreciate the simple elegance of these cupcakes.  The taste is just pure, sweet lemon without any heavy icing, and the appearance is lucious without being over-done.  Mom and I like to use fresh cranberries to garnish and decorate the cupcakes/cake.  I think the red of the cranberry really pops against the pale yellow, and it's just perfect for Christmas!  This recipe is a much loved tradition in my family that's here to stay.  I'm excited to share it with you!

Frosty Lemon Cupcakes

Grocery List:
1 Box Lemon cake mix
Eggs
Canola oil
2 large lemons
Powdered sugar

Prepare 2 muffin pans with liners. 
Prepare the cake batter using the directions on the box.  Bake them using the directions on the box. 

(This is the part where Mom makes them really good!)-- Take them out of the oven and out of the muffin pan onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool about 5-10 minutes before taking a toothpick and poking several holes in the top of each cupcake.  Squeeze into a small bowl, the juice of about  1 lemon.  (about 2 Tbsp)  With a spoon, pour the lemon juice all over the tops of cupcakes.  This will sink into all of those tiny holes of the warm cupcake and will completely drink all of this yummy juice!  This makes the lemon cake taste just a little bit tart and give it a very real lemon flavor.  The more juice you put in, the more moist and delicious they will be! 

Squeeze all of the juice out of the other lemon into a bowl.  Add enough powdered sugar to make a thick glaze consistency.  Pour about half of this mixture over the cupcakes while  they are still warm.  This will soak in a bit and drip down the sides.  Beautiful!  Whenever the cupcakes cool, pour the second half of the glaze and spread around the top. It's okay if it drips a little.  This second glazing will seal in all the moisture, give them that frosty look, and will make them taste perfectly sweet!  Soooo good! Allow to cool (if you can!) and enjoy with a tall, cold glass of milk or hot coffee!