Lemonade Cupcakes

RECIPE TRIAL & PANTRY RECIPE
Stock your pantry suggestion: Always have a few cake mixes hanging around your pantry.

I crave lemon flavored things all day. Maybe because it is winter and lemon is bright and yellow and sweet and tart and all things summer. And I crave summer come mid February. 

I have been really wanting to try a lemonade cupcake recipe and (here comes the confession) sometimes I am a way lazy baker. I didn't want to bake straight from scratch. Plus, I was trying to avoid butter and milk for my 6 year old lactose intolerant child.

So I came up with this bright and tasty recipe with a few extras. Yes, we used it for Valentine's dinner and the heart shape cupcake comes from a pinterest pin from this clever blogger. Muses of Megret.


But these really are good anytime.

Heart tip: Place a marble between the tin and the wrapper.

My Recipe for Easy Lemonade Cupcakes
 
1 lemon cake mix. (with water, oil and eggs per box directions)
zest of 1 lemon 
1 box of sugar free vanilla pudding.
1 packet of individual lemonade drink powder (the kind you put in a water bottle for an individual serving of lemonade)
1 extra egg
2 extra TB of oil.


Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low speed until moistened. Fill cupcakes about 3/4 full and bake according to package direction.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes and frost with strawberry frosting and top with white chocolate pretzels.