Lemon on Lemon

I recently purchased some lemon extract for fudge I'm making later this summer. I have a 100ml bottle (about 7 tbs), which doesn't sound like a lot, but the fudge recipe only needs 1 tsp (about 5ml). I had been wondering what to do with the other 95ml, and while grocery shopping last week I bought some ingredients so I could make lemon poppy seed cupcakes. I didn't have a recipe, but I figured I could throw one together with the lemon extract, a white cake mix, and some poppy seeds. Without a recipe though, I didn't know how many poppy seeds I'd need, so I bought two bags. Turns out you only need 2 tbs to make lemon poppy seed cupcakes, so I guess I have a lifetime supply.

I really want to make the most of this lemon extract, so I decided to top the cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting. Lemon on lemon. We love lemon in this house, so the more the merrier.

In recent weeks I have set myself a rule that I'm only allowed to make treats when going to an event. The rule results in two awesome things: first, I get to share yummy baked goods with people I love. Second, I don't just eat 24 cupcakes all by myself. It's a good rule, but I have to say I broke it this week so I could try these cupcakes. Lemon sounds like a health food, so these cupcakes must be super healthy. I mean, it's not chocolate right??  Perhaps eating four of these in a row is actually good for me. Let's go with that... (please don't correct me if I'm wrong).

Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix (+ 3 eggs, 2tbs veg oil, 1 1/3 cup water)
• 1 tbs lemon extract
• 2 1/2 tbs poppy seeds
• Yellow gel food colouring

Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, water, lemon extract, and poppy seeds with electric mixer until blended (30 seconds). Add yellow food colouring. Mix at high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into paper lined muffin tins and bake at 350°F for 22 minutes.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• Yellow gel food colouring

Cream butter with electric mixer. Add icing sugar in 1/2 cup intervals, mixing well after each addition. Add lemon extract and food colouring and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Add additional lemon extract to taste (John suggests I add 2 tsp next time and I agree. We like lemon!)