The Lemon Cupcakes

I have had some requests to share the recipe for some cupcakes I made recently. So here it is!

The Filling

This can go on ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, or anything that could use some lemon-y goodness! I will usually make it first so it has a chance to cool and thicken.

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind (I grate 2-3 lemons and use everything, sometimes it is more than 2T)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Cook until sugar dissolves and the mixture is light in color (about 3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and butter; cook for 5 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cool. Cover and chill (the mixture will thicken as it cools)

Note: Lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can easily double the recipe and freeze half of it in a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and use within 1 week of thawing.

The Cake

Take a box of cake mix. Make cupcakes out of it.

Ok, this one might seem too simple. I like to tinker, so I usually add a box of pudding to the cake mix to give it some texture. And I am against adding oil, so I'll substitute sour cream or buttermilk. But I kind of like to keep things easy. So I'm a fan of using the boxed cake mix!

The Frosting

I'm sorry there is no way to cheat and make this part good for you. That is why I don't add oil to the cake mix - it helps to balance out the tasty stuff that goes on top!

8 oz regular cream cheese - softened (not light or fat free)
1/2 cup butter - softened
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
About 3 cups of powdered sugar

Mix the cream cheese, butter, zest, and juice in a mixer to combine. Start with about 2 cups of powdered sugar and stir it in. It will probably soften up so you can add more powdered sugar until it looks like it is starting to hold its shape. Once it gets to this point, turn the mixer up and let it just beat for 5 minutes or so. This will actually help the frosting be light and fluffy!

The Assembly

Pick the ugliest cupcake of the batch. Tear it in half and spread on some of the lemon curd. Grab a knife and take a scoop of the frosting that just came off the beater. Smear it on top of the lemon curd and taste it to make sure the proportions are right. This is an important step! Someone has to make sure these are edible.

Repeat with the second half of the ugly cupcake. Because it is lonely. And impolite to leave half a cupcake.

Now get the filling into the middle of the rest of the cupcakes. You can cut the tops off and spoon it in, or put it in a bag with a pastry tip and poke it in and squeeze until it looks like your little cupcakes will swell and explode. Really...you just have to get the filling into the middle.

Put the frosting on top to cover the entry site of the filling. It is very important to put lots of frosting on each cupcake because that is going to keep the filling from squirting out and hitting someone in the eye when they take their first bite. Ok, not really. But a lot of frosting makes them really, really good.

Set at least half the cupcakes out to share with others. If you hide half in the fridge for "later," I won't tell anyone.

What I Hate

I don't mind scrubbing toilets. I am a pretty decent dish washer. Me and the vacuum are on speaking terms. I even enjoy being out in the yard pulling weeds and planting flowers. I'm happy to wash and dry the clothes so I have clean things to wear. But something about the folding and the sorting and the hanging and the putting-it-away...tweaks my gizzard. If I had a gizzard.

One day the piles will get to be too much and I will brush up against one when the gravitational pull of the full moon is at its peak. Which will trigger a chain reaction causing my normally graceful self to fall and all of the unfolded garments will collapse on me and I will be buried under a mountain of clean socks and sheets and shirts. No one will hear my muffled cries for help. And I will slowly suffocate under a mountain of spring-fresh fabric. But at least it will be a pleasant smelling end.

Opinions

Ice should last longer than whatever beverage it is trying to keep cold.

Chewing with one's mouth closed is a good idea.

Some days being in front of a computer all day long is almost as bad as being attacked by fire ants.

Monday is a bad day to start a new goal.

Sunday is a good day for a nap.

It is possible to learn about how to be a better person from reading a book about a serial killer. Don't judge.

Reality TV is an addiction. And a curse. And strangely fascinating sometimes. You can fish crab in the Bering sea, be stranded on an island, and bake cupcakes all in an afternoon.

Soda is not a gateway drug. Or created by conspiring men to take over my soul.

Iceberg lettuce doesn't have the same chemical properties as marijuana when dried and smoked. If it did, the criminal element would be growing legal fields of lettuce.

Propaganda is used by all kinds of people in all kinds of situations. I have a hard time believing any of it.

It is possible to like demolition derbies and Broadway plays.

Creating a list of opinions is not getting my work done. (This one is actually a fact.)

Trying to Love

At the beginning of the year I decided on one word that would be the focus in my life and my goals this year. I picked the word love. I was attracted to the idea of finding and appreciating love that is in my life and all of the different facets of something that is such a universal emotion.

Even though I haven't posted much about this, there has been a lot of thought. Ponderings. Attempts at increasing love, appreciating love, and understanding love. More about all of those another day.

Today my question is how do I learn to love someone when I don't like them very much? Because I believe we are all part of the same human family, I think I have a vested interest in trying to find the part of someone that is worthy of love and appreciation. Don't get me wrong - there are a lot of people in the world who do awful things. I don't believe in being naive about situations or even individuals. But I do think that on some level, I ought to be able to respect every person I meet or know because I think they are my brother or sister.

But how do you accomplish this if someone is less-than-likable? Especially if you are in that person's presence on a regular basis and can't really try the absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder approach? I'm still working on this one.

Stuff that Didn't Happen (For Which I'm Grateful)

Some days are defined by the wonderful things that happen. This is not that day. Today my day is fantastic because of what DIDN'T happen.

• My hair did not get caught in a mouse trap.
• The cops did not pull me over.
• I did not drop a screw in my eye.
• Poppy seeds did not get caught in my teeth.
• My city has not been over-run by zombies.

That's all I have for now.

Happenings

Apparently I have posted too many pictures on my blog. It gives me a little warning that I have run out of space. So that means this post has absolutely zero pictures until I figure out what to do about that situation.

Fortunately, I am okay with the rambling monologues. I think I can fill in with words in the mean time.

I think one of the universal occurrences in every person's life - at least those of the female variety - is an occasional question of whether we are in the right place, doing the right things, at the right times. Or doing enough of the right things in the right places at the right times. I could probably be raising 10 perfect children in a perfect house while running a global non-profit organization to help abandoned animals, orphans, and victims of natural disasters. This would be at the same time that I was a perfect wife for my perfect husband in the most amazing neighborhood where we were on a first-name basis with every person within 5 blocks. I would simultaneously be working on my second doctorate in astrophysics with a minor in global peace and writing weekly letters to every member of my extended family complete with photos and personalized cards on every major (and minor) holiday. And if I managed all of that, I'm sure I would still feel like I wasn't doing enough. True story! So in my considerably less spectacular life, it should come as no surprise that I have moments and days when I struggle with the idea that my efforts to make a difference in my modest sphere are insufficient.

Some people are good at seeing through the completely dishonest answers of "I'm good! I'm fine!" And I had one such friend stop by this week. The chipper "I'm great" didn't really cut it for her, and she paused  in her day to take time to give me a hug and let me know it is all right not to be completely perfect and happy all the time. It is hard to tell someone how much these small moments can mean. They mean so, so, so much!

The next day, another neighbor sent her daughter over with cookies because I am occasionally sarcastic and it made her laugh. Who says Facebook doesn't foster good things??

Today in church three people mentioned me by name as helping them at one time or another. It was humbling.

I feel blessed. I do believe Someone is watching over me, who knows what I need and when I need it. This was one of those weeks when I felt those hands lift me up and let me know I am loved.

A Piece of Perfection

My belly is full. I enjoyed a wonderful meal with loved ones.

I am snuggled on the couch with a good book, and I can see the rain streaming down the windows and hear it beating cadence on the roof.

And my tulips are blooming.

Does life get any better than this?