Celebration Cupcakes With Citrus Frosting Recipes

LEMON CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray.
• Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, water, champagne, oil and eggs. Stir 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel into batter. Pour into pan.
• Bake 17 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not remove cake from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place pan of cake in freezer. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• In small bowl, mix lemon curd and sour cream until well blended. Set aside.
• To assemble cupcakes, remove cake from freezer; using foil, lift cake from pan. Using 2 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut 24 rounds from cake. Place 12 rounds top side down. Spread each with about 1 teaspoon lemon curd filling. Top with remaining cake rounds, top side up.
• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, melted butter and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon about 1 tablespoon icing over each cake, allowing icing to run down sides of cake.
• To serve, place each cake in decorative cupcake liner, and garnish with lemon peel curls, if desired.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, and 2 teaspoons lemon extract together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; add baking powder and salt and beat until smooth. Slowly mix flour, alternating with cold milk, into butter mixture until batter is just mixed. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Beat 3 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, and milk together until smooth. Beat confectioners' sugar into butter mixture until desired consistency is reached; spread onto cupcakes.

CITRUS CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one 12-cup or two 6-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. For the frosting: Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on high, stirring halfway between cooking time, until the chocolate is melted, 40 to 50 seconds. Stir until smooth. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the melted chocolate, orange juice, vanilla and salt until blended. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Makes 2 cups. For the cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the sour cream, zest and juice until blended. Add the flour mixture on low speed and beat until just blended. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely on the rack. To assemble: With a small metal spatula, spread the frosting over the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Use assorted fruit and candies to decorate the cupcakes.
• Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (includes cooling time)

TRIPLE-CITRUS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl every few minutes. Add citrus zests. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla. Add eggs, three at a time, beating until until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in four batches, beating until completely incorporated after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full; tap pans on countertop once to distribute batter. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, dip tops of cupcakes in glaze, then turn over quickly and garnish with zest. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

CALIFORNIA CITRUS BROCCOLI SLAW

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix broccoli slaw and jicama. Peel oranges with sharp paring knife; cut into 1/4-inch slices. Cut each slice into fourths. Add oranges, onion and cilantro to broccoli mixture.
• In tightly covered container, shake all dressing ingredients until well mixed. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES WITH LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the Cupcakes, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Add oil, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add carrots; mix until well blended. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
• Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
• For the Frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and lemon extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in milk. Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting.