Summer Treat

Starting today I'm back to following the 80/20 rule in terms of healthy eating. (Eat healthy 80% of the time and have not so healthy stuff 20% of the time.) Since the Easter holiday I've been eating the opposite - 20% healthy, 80% great tasting but not so healthy. As one last hurrah before getting back on the good eating wagon, I made lemon-raspberry cupcakes this past weekend. I've shared the recipe below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Although I don't think I've ever met a cupcake I didn't love. 😉

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
1 box (15oz size) yellow cake mix. If you can find a lemon flavored one, all the better.
1 3.4 oz box Jello lemon flavored instant pudding
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup hot water
24 fresh raspberries
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
12 oz cream cheese softened enough to be able to stir
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (otherwise known as powdered sugar)
Lemon zest
24 fresh raspberries - optional

To make the cupcakes - Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl combine the cake mix and dry lemon pudding mix. Add in the eggs, oil, and water and mix well. Carefully add the sour cream and stir just until combined. In a separate bowl add the raspberries and flour and toss until the raspberries are well coated. Coat two cupcake pans with butter flavored cooking spray such as Pam or use cupcake liners. (I prefer the cupcake liners for easier clean up.) Pour the cake mix evenly among the 24 liners. Place one raspberry in the center of each cupcake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake. - Be careful not to insert it into the raspberry. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

To make the frosting - Place the cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice in a bowl. Combine using a hand mixer on medium speed until well mixed, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the confectioners sugar in increments, adding more sugar as each addition becomes blended in.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost each one and add a bit of lemon zest on top for decoration and if you'd like, add a single raspberry on top of each cupcake.

Makes 24 cupcakes.  Refrigerate any remaining cupcakes due to the cream cheese and butter in the frosting. If you don't think you'd like the cupcake chilled, just take them out a bit before serving to bring them to room temperature.