- 1 box Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Decadent Cake Mix
- 1 cup jarred or homemade lemon curd
- 1 container Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese Frosting
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- Yellow food coloring (optional)
- Bake cupcakes as directed and let cool completely.
- Using a paring knife, cut a small inverted cone out of top center of cupcake. Cut no more than 2/3 of the way down into cupcake.
- Fill the empty space in cupcake with lemon curd (about 1 teaspoon).
- Using a fine grater, take off the yellow zest of the entire lemon.
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze juice into a small bowl.
- Add lemon zest to the frosting.
- Start by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to frosting. Mix and taste. If you want a stronger lemon flavor, begin adding more a 1/2 teaspoon at a time to taste.
- Add a drop of yellow food color to frosting and mix in thoroughly.
- Frost cupcakes and serve. For a more decorative finish, utilize a pastry bag to frost your cupcakes.
Mixing in Unique Flavors
It's always fun to throw in your own personal creative flair when you're baking with Duncan Hines. To customize cupcakes: add cinnamon and cayenne pepper into chocolate cupcake batter and frosting for a Mexican Cinnamon Chili Cupcake. For an Asian flavor, substitute sesame oil for vegetable oil in your cake mix and add powdered wasabi and ground ginger to your frosting -- you'll have a Wasabi Ginger Cupcake! To enhance Lemon Cupcakes, cut out a cone-shaped piece from the center of your cupcake and fill it with lemon curd, then frost with lemon cheesecake frosting.
What are some ways you would personalize your Lemon Chocolate Cupcakes?
I would probably add more lemon. To give it a tangier flavor. Or, as a filling for the cupcake, I'd mix lemon pudding and whipped topping. Of course, you could try this same recipe with orange flavors!
How else might you enhance your cupcake recipes?
I always use milk instead of water. My grandma taught me that. It has vitamins, is good for the body... and gives a richer taste to the chocolate!
