Blommin' Blossoms

Today, I blog from my iPhone for the very first time. If all goes well, I could possibly manage a few more frequent posts - especially with he varied traveling I'll be doing this summer. We'll see...

My willpower is waning. Ketosis went from being my friend to being my worst nightmare. I'm two weeks in to a zero carb diet, have shed several pounds and feeling pretty good about it all when my oldest child asks to make Lemon Blossoms....I know what you're thinking. Why is this a big deal when I bake for a living? Because baking for a living is so much different than baking for your home. I don't feel tempted to eat something I'm making for someone else-of course not! It belongs to someone else! But baking for the sheer fun of it...well, now we're in trouble. So I took a little side step and indulged in a mouthful of sweet goodness baked by the hands of an event sweeter little man. I can't believe how much he has grown. If I keep eating his creations, I won't stop growing either. Oi Vey.

My oldest guy is particularly funny, I have to admit. He loves to cook, most likely because he loves to eat, and these sweet treats are his current favorite. He know they are called Lemon Blossoms, but prefers to call them Lemon Bloomers. I know, right? I explained to him that bloomers are actually girls underwear and he replied, "I know, that's the point"...I didn't ask any further questions since I wasn't sure I really wanted to know where is otherwise sweet mind was headed, but consider yourself warned: Lock. Up. Your. Daughters. He's a cutie, this one is, and funny too.

No Skinny Genes Were Harmed in the Creation of this Post

...because clearly I was not handed skinny genes (or jeans) in the creation of my persona. No worries there. These lemon blossoms go down easy - EASY I tell you - and before you I know it, I've polished off a half-dozen and find myself licking the icing spoon. Holy Moses. Someone save me from myself. I'm really not to blame for my waning self control. I did not come to know these lemon blossoms of my own volition. I first made the acquaintance of this charming recipe at the hand of my equally charming oldest child when he solicited the formula from a sweet friend at church. I believe she found the original recipe from Paula Deen, but as these things sometimes go, ingredients are tweaked and quantities adjusted and voila - a whole new recipe is born. Much like the childhood game of gossip where the end result is nothing like the original, recipes often take twists and turns until they reach a new identity all their own. I'm not sure these blossoms have evolved to that extent just yet, but I'm happy to share this version of them with you in hopes that you and your hips lips find equal satisfaction from their goodness. 

Lemon Blossoms

1 package yellow cake mix

3 1/2 oz. package instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

Icing:

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

3 Tbs. water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil in an electric mixer and blend well until smooth. Scoop a small amount of batter into each tin, filling about half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel.

To make glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil and water. Mix well until smooth. 

With your fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they are still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible. Turn them upright and place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in airtight containers.