CREAM CHEESE-FROSTED, LEMON-FILLED CUPCAKES

Prep time: 30 min | Cooking: 20 min | Additional: 30 min | Total: 1 hr 20 min | Servings: 24 | Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Cream Cheese-Frosted, Lemon-Filled Cupcakes gets its flavor and a beautiful color-a generous boost from fresh lemon juice and zest. It will be perfect by itself, no doubt, but a good layer of the best cream cheese frosting will take it up a knot for sure.

INGREDIENTS :

• (1) (18.25 oz) package lemon cake mix
• 1 cup of water
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• (3) eggs
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• (4 oz) white chocolate, chopped
• (1) (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS :

1. Preheat oven about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, add and beat lemon cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs for 2 minutes.
4. In a prepared muffin cups, spoon batters, filling them about 2/3 full.
5. Add the cupcakes and put them in a preheated oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until browned very lightly and a toothpick inserted in a cupcake center comes out clean, then let it cool.
6. In a bowl, cut the vegetable shortening and 1/4 cup butter with a pastry cutter until well mixed. Beat lemon juice into shortening mixture until creamy.
7. Stir 2 cups confectioners’ sugar into shortening mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling is smooth. Set filling aside.
8. Add and place white chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on High for 15 seconds and stir the chocolate. Continue heating in 15-second intervals, stirring between heating until white chocolate is melted and smooth.
9. For the frosting: In a bowl, add and beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter until smooth and creamy. Add and stir in melted white chocolate and vanilla extract.
10. Beat in 4 cups confectioners’ sugar gradually, alternating with drizzles of orange juice, to make a smooth and creamy frosting.
11. Cut the holes through the top of each cupcake. The holes should be deep enough to put filling inside.
12. Spoon lemon filling into the holes.
13. Pipe on top of the cupcakes the cream cheese frosting, then add and sprinkle with lemon zest.

Nutrition Facts:

Per Serving: 379.4 calories; 55.3 mg cholesterol; 237.1 mg sodium; 3.2 g protein; 50.4 g carbohydrates.