We'll doctor cake mixes to get a moist and rich cake, use our handy dandy grocery store aisles for quick and easy fillings and toppings, and make to-die-for buttercreams and frostings from scratch. These are the cupcakes dreams are made of, and they'll be made easily peasily by little ol' you.
Let's start with the cake, shall we? My favorite way to doctor a cake mix is to add an extra egg, swap out the water for whole milk, and replace the oil with melted butter - and then double the amount of butter. You heard me. Do this and you'll end up with a bakery worthy cupcake every time.
Next, fillings. Instead of slaving over your stove and mixer making homemade curds, mousses, and creams, we'll utilize what the grocery store has to offer in jars, cans, and packages. Some of the yummiest fillings I've ever eaten came right out of a jar I grabbed off the shelf on my weekly shopping trip.
Now it comes down to it - the main attraction - the Big Kahuna - what a cupcake is really all about (drum roll, please) - THE FROSTING! The key to a great cupcake is the frosting. Let's get a little honest here. Some of us (and I'm not pointing any fingers) are really just in it for the frosting. Am I right, or am I right? Ha! That said, we'll focus our time and energy on my favorite frosting and buttercream recipes to send your cupcakes over the moon.
For this recipe series, here are some supplies you'll want to have on hand:
- cupcake pans and paper cupcake baking cups
- a stand mixer for the buttercreams and frostings (a hand mixer will do, but it will be more work on your arms)
- a rubber spatula
- a wooden spoon
- a large mixing bowl
- Ziplock freezer bags or equivalent
- one or two large piping tips
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| These Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes start with a doctored lemon cake mix. |
So, without further ado, let's bake up a batch of my Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes.
These scrumdiddlyumptious cupcakes utilize a lemon cake mix, a jar of lemon curd, and a handful of lemon drop candies.
We'll start by doctoring our lemon cake mix. You can use a wooden spoon or a hand mixer to mix up your batter. Just make sure you end up with a smooth batter. Cake mix batters need to be mixed thoroughly.
Scoop your batter into your lined cupcake pan. I use a size 20 cupcake/ice cream scoop. That's a little less than 1/4 of a cup. I got 22 cupcakes out of my batter.
Be mindful to check your cupcakes at the earliest time indicated on the box to make sure they do not over bake. Over baking will turn your tender fluffy cakes into dried out sadness. 💔 As soon as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, take them out. After about 15 minutes remove your cupcakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack or on the counter.
After your cupcakes are completely cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cute little cake. Make sure you don't punch through the bottom of your cupcake. You want all of the filling to stay in the middle of the cupcake where it belongs.
Next, open a Ziplock freezer bag over a drinking glass. Scoop lemon curd into your bag, push the curd down towards one corner, and twist the top closed to contain it. Snip off 1/4 inch off of one corner, and holding the top of the bag air-tight, gently squeeze some filling into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming out the top.
Congrats! Your cupcakes are filled!
Now let's prep the candy topping so it's ready to go when you frost. Anything you sprinkle on top will stick better if you add it on as soon as you frost your cakes. Put your candy into a Ziplock freezer bag, place it on a durable surface (counter top or floor) and hit it with something heavy until smashed up.
Now it's time for the good stuff. We're going with a simple vanilla frosting for this cupcake since we have so much lovely lemon flavor already goin' on. It's very important that your butter is soft. Take it out of the fridge and leave it sitting on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes before you start your frosting.
Beat your butter and shortening together for 30 seconds.
Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
Scrape down the bowl again and then beat in the vanilla.
Beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
Scrape down the bowl and beat in a little milk a tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency. It can't be too soft or too stiff. Practice will make perfect here. With each batch of cupcakes you will get better and better.
When you have the consistency you want, scrape down the bowl again, and then beat for 3 minutes on high until light and fluffy.
Snip the corner off of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Insert tip and then fill with your frosting. It's easiest if you stand your bag inside of a tall cup. I like using a rubber spatula at this point to make sure I scrape out as much of that yummy frosting as possible.
Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes (This will take practice too. Maybe watch some YouTube videos if you need encouragement.) and immediately sprinkle with your crushed lemon candy.
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| Show 'em who's bauss by baking up a batch of these Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes. |
There you go, you cupcake rock star, you - your very first batch of gourmet cupcakes.
Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes
(Makes about 22 cupcakes)
INGREDIENTS
1 10 oz jar lemon curd for filling your cupcakes
1/2 cup lemon candies for topping your cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
1 15.25 oz box lemon cake mix
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.
For the frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 5 Tbsp milk
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with about 22 cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. Place your lemon candies in a Ziplock freezer bag and smash with a heavy object to make your topping. Set aside.
7. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
8. Fill another Ziplock freezer bag with your jarred lemon curd, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/4 inch off of one corner, and pipe into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
9. For the vanilla frosting, beat the butter and shortening for 30 seconds.
10. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
11. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in the vanilla.
12. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
14. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
15. Snip one corner off of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall glass to easily fill with frosting.
16. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
17. Immediately sprinkle with the crushed lemon candy.
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