Dessert: Lemon Creme Lemon Cupcakes

These were one of my Longaberger recipes from when I was a Longaberger Collector. You can use cupcake/muffin tins, the Longaberger dessert bowls, or another ramekin to make these in. They are a lot of work, but a great spring dessert and have been very popular every time I've made them. 

Ingredients:

Cakes
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 yellow cake mix (18.25 ounce box)
3 large eggs
1 cup of water, room temperature
Zest of 2 large lemons

Cream
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Icing
1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
Food coloring, as desired

Handles
4 ounces prepared white fondant
Food coloring
1 empty paper towel tube

Toppings
Jelly beans or pastel candies

Directions:

Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly mist 12 dessert cups with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 large-cup (3 1/2” diameter) muffin tin with paper liners. 
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a flat paddle, cream the butter for 2 minutes or until light and smooth. Add remaining cake ingredients and mix on slow for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. 
3. Spoon batter evenly into cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
4. Cool 5 minutes, run a small knife around the edge of cake, invert & release. Cool completely. If using muffin tins, cool cakes and remove paper liners.

Cream

1. Place egg yolks and egg in a bowl and quickly whisk in sugar. Add lemon juice and zest. Place all in a small non-reactive sauce pan and add butter. 
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring the entire time until mixture is very thick and looks like custard, about 5 to 7 minutes. 
3. Pour mixture into a bowl, place plastic wrap directly onto the cream and refrigerate until cold (at least 1 hour).

Icing

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Add food coloring as desired. Place plastic wrap directly onto icing and set aside.

Handles

1. Work food coloring into the fondant by twisting, distributing color evenly. Roll fondant between two layers of parchment or wax paper until it measures 7” x 4”. From this, cut a 5 ½” x 3” rectangle and twelve ¼” strips. Place the paper towel tube on a lined sheet pan, and drape strips over tube to form handles. Make sure a ½” section on each end of the handle rests flat on the tray. 
2. Allow to dry 10 hours or overnight.

Assembling

1. With a small paring knife, cut a small cone from the top of each cake. Set aside. 
2. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of cake form the center of each cake. 
3. Spoon the lemon cream into the cavity. 
4. Using the paring knife, cut away the point of the cone cap and place over the lemon cream to seal. 
5. Ice the tops of the cakes with a pastel-colored icing. Reserve extra icing. 
6. Decorate center of each cake with jelly beans or pastel candies. Place cakes on a tray, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 
7. Remove cakes from the refrigerator ½ hour before serving. 
8. Using the reserved icing, place a small dot of icing on the underside of the handles. Attach to the cakes and serve.

Other Details

• Nutrition per cupcake.