No time for baking? Try these Lemony Cupcakes here. My kids can make them in a jiffy from scratch. (Yeah, right, IMAGINE, they are under the icing. We had the color stuff left over from a cake class and got into rainbow color “play.” Move over, cake boss!)

This cupcake recipe (forget the icing) has only 7 common ingredients—which you already have in your pantry or fridge. It is no secret: these lemony cupcakes taste delicious for the generous “splurge” of butter. So don’t overdo the eating. They are a special treat.

By the way: Never mind the “royal” icing on our creations (photos). We went a little crazy. For a healthier outcome, just dust your cupcakes with a little powder sugar—although there is obviously no limit to “creative” decorating.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 g butter (1 ¾ sticks)
• 200 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 lemon’s grated peel
• 2 lemons’ juice (or 1 only, but add a squirt of milk)
• 200 g flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• a “shot” of milk, if needed

PREPARATION:

• Cut up the butter, warm it slightly so that you can beat it easily with a whisk or electric mixer.
• Add in the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, whisk until you get a creamy, fair batter.
• Slowly whisk in the flour and baking powder to a creamy consistency. Add milk, as necessary. Dough should “rip” from the spoon and pile up gently in the paper cups.
• Fill the paper lined cupcake pan equally with 2 spoons full of batter. This makes about 20 cupcakes.
• Bake the cupcakes at 350F for 30 minutes, let cool for 1 hour, then decorate to your heart’s content.

NOTE: The recipe for “Zitronenküchlein” is from the book “Kinder-Geburtstagstorten”. In Germany even kids know about “good eats.”

HAVE FUN AT IT! CREATE SOME EDIBLE ART. OCCASIONALLY . . .