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Lemon Mint Poppy Seed Cupcakes
A Cool Combination
The lemon and poppy seed combination has been together for years. Lemon-poppy seed muffins were created to tempt, tease and tantalize. You've not been to lemon heaven until you eat a lemon-mint combination, with an undertone of nuttiness found in poppy seeds to bring you back down to earth and balance the flavors.
A crisp bite of moist, tangy lemon cake begins the experience with these cupcakes. Just as you get used to the lemony-goodness, the mint cream oozes from the center and your love affair with desserts has begun. But don't get too settled in. Crunchy poppy seeds are introduced to your palate, bringing you back down to earth with their nutty flavor.
Lemon Mint Poppy Seed Cupcake
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Easy to Make
Lemon mint poppy seed cupcakes are easy to make. This recipe focuses solely on the flavors and not creating cupcakes from scratch. There are multitudes of lemon cake mix recipes around the web, including those found on the Food Network where you can learn top notch recipes from some world renowned chefs such as Bobby Flay, Duff Goldman and Alton Brown.
The perfect topping for your lemon mint poppy seed cupcakes is lemon buttercream frosting. The recipe for buttercream frosting is listed at the bottom of this article.
Time for Baking
What do I Need?
- 1 package cupcake liners
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 container poppy seeds
- 3 drops mint flavoring, (found with vanilla flavoring)
- 1 leaf mint, *optional*
- 4 tablespoons lemon zest, *optional*
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring, (to be used in homemade frosting)
- 1 box vanilla pudding mix, 3.4 ounce box
- 3 drops green food coloring
How to Make Lemon Mint Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- Mix cupcake batter per box instructions. Add 3 tablespoons poppy seeds to batter with spoon. Mix well.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- In a bowl, mix vanilla pudding per package instructions. Add the mint flavoring. Add more or less to give desired results. Remember, once the pudding has set and the flavors blend in the refrigerator, the mint can often be a bit stronger than at first taste. Put pudding in the refrigerator to set.
- When the cupcakes are cool, insert a knife into the center of each one, digging out a cavity approximately the size of a nickel.
- Fill each cavity with the mint flavored pudding mixture. Do not overfill or the pudding will seep out of the cupcake.
- In a bowl, mix the ingredients to make the lemon buttercream frosting (see recipe at the bottom of this article).
- Frost each cupcake, creating a swirl design with a decorator's bag and a Wilton 1M tip or desired tip.
- Sprinkle lemon zest on top of the frosting. Add a sprig of mint. Extra poppy seeds can be added to the frosting before icing the cupcakes or sprinkle more on top if desired.
Wilton 1M Tip Swirl to Frost Cupcakes
Lemon Buttercream Frosting Recipe
The frosting used for these cupcakes can either be canned lemon frosting or a lemon buttercream frosting made from scratch. Wilton's buttercream frosting is the ultimate buttercream frosting and by adding a few drops of lemon flavoring to offset the mint cream filling, it's the perfect addition to the lemon mint poppy seed cupcake recipe.
To make lemon buttercream frosting, you will need:
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening such as Crisco
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon lemon flavoring
- 4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) (almost 1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons milk
With a mixer, blend butter and Crisco together until light and fluffy. Add the lemon flavoring.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time and beat until frosting is well blended. The frosting will appear dry at this point.
Slowly add the milk while mixing. Continue mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy.
© 2015 Vicki Macrae
