Lemony Good!

I have been really feeling spring the past week or so...I got home from work the other morning and could see the tips of the lilies that run along the front of my house poking through the rocks in the flower bed. Also, you may all remember that I have planted seeds for a back yard vegetable garden (which are sprouting, by the way...I will post pictures of them on Thursday) and with Lent starting - that just gets me thinking about Easter eggs and jelly beans and to me that equals spring! Also, as things turned out yesterday, I was home alone with the kids and we were looking for something fun to do, so we decided on cupcakes. And with me all in the spirit of spring, I wanted something light...and different...so we made these....

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients

CUP CAKES

1 1/8 cup (9 ounces) Pink Lemonade Concentrate, thawed

White boxed cake mix

3 egg whites

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Baking cups

FROSTING

3 cups plus 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Enough red food coloring to turn the icing pink

Directions

CUPCAKES

Mix together cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil and lemonade concentrate on low mixer setting for about 30 seconds and then increase speed to medium for 90 seconds. (The batter will be a little lumpy - do not over mix or you could end up with dry cupcakes.) Place cupcake liners into a muffin pan and fill the cups about 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes - until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a rack. Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the frosting and ice the cupcakes.

FROSTING

Mix together confectioners sugar, butter, salt, lemon juice and food coloring until well blended. Mix with a hand mixer on medium high until well blended and fluffy. Fill a pastry bag with icing or frost with a knife. Top with sprinkles or colored sugar if desired.

We used sprinkles!

So you could do all of that...BUT from what I understand, Pillsbury has a Pink Lemonade cake mix with matching frosting...and we have also recently established I am all about short cuts...now to find a store carrying them!