Lemon Cream Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS: One boxed white cake mix with eggs, water and oil to make according to package One small package of instant lemon pudding (with 2 cups of milk to make according to package) 2 tubs of Cool Whip topping (frozen) 2 sticks of butter (softened) 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar 2 teaspoons of lemon extract Yellow food coloring Lemon drops and sprinkles (optional for decoration)

Make cake mix according to package and bake in 24 cupcake liners placed in a muffin tin. Cool completely. Make pudding mix according to package. Spoon about 1/3 cup into a small zip-top bag and set aside. Add 1/2 of one container of Cool Whip, to remaining pudding, mixing until well- combined. Place in a zip-top bag and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar, lemon extract and yellow food color together on high until light and fluffy. Place in a zip-top bag with a circular decorating tip inserted into one corner. Set aside.

Remove a core from each cupcake. You can use a knife or a cupcake corer to do this, but save the top of this core. Clip a corner off the pudding/Cool Whip mixture bag and pipe this into the center of each cupcake, setting the top of the core back on when filled. Use a medium cookie scoop, melon baller or ice cream scoop to spoon a rounded ball of frozen Cool Whip onto the center of each cupcake. Pipe lemon frosting around the edges of this scoop by squeezing small circles of frosting all around the edge.

Cut a small(!) corner off the bag of plain pudding and drizzle this over the top. Decorate as desired. If you use a lemon drop, add this just before serving so it doesn’t get sticky. Keep these cupcakes refrigerated until serving. Enjoy!!