Lemon Cupcakes

Those are like little rays of sunshine on a cloudy day... I found this recipe in my free subscription of Kraft Foods Magazine, it was a bright yellow cover with few appetizing cupcakes. YUMM!
So I finally decided to make those for a birthday party. I usually don't like to make semi-homemade stuff, but I didn't have much time to come out with the dessert so I figured why not?! Super easy ingredients and super easy to make. You'll need:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup water

4 egg whites
Lemon zest from 1 lemon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, egg whites and oil in large bowl with mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined 2-1/2-inch muffin cups.

Bake 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

I used my recipe for cream cheese frosting, the one that goes on top of my red velvet cake. But instead of finishing it up with almond oil and added lemon juice. It had nice, refreshing, lemony flavor.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 - 8oz cream cheese, room temperature (I use Philadelphia)
• 3/4 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 3/4 cup of powder sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 TBS lemon juice
  

Beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy, add vanilla and lemon juice, add powdered sugar in 3 batches, beat few more minutes to get desire consistency. Frost the cupcakes.

This is a great and fast dessert if you don't have too much time on your hands. Definitely worth a try! :)