Doctored Lemon Box Mix Cupcakes

Want to make some delicious lemon cupcakes from a box cake mix? You heard that right, and it tastes as delicious as homemade!

We have all been in the situation where we want to create a delicious cake or cupcake, but don't enjoy the taste of the original box cake mix. I get it! Box mix is just not the same in taste compared to scratch, however, what if I told you there is a way to make a box mix from the grocery store as delicious as homemade, or shall I say maybe even better?

Okay, it still may not be IDENTICAL to homemade, but I swear by this recipe for any box cake mix! It will change your box mix game forever, and your friends and family will never know the difference!

Recipe Questions

Can I freeze these for later use?

You can freeze cupcakes, however, opt for the lemon curd and icing until after you have taken them out of the freezer and they have thawed out. Freeze in ziplock bags or a sealed container take them out and leave them on the counter until completely thawed before decorating.

Can I opt out of the lemon curd?

These are a box mix spin-off on my popular scratch Lemon cupcakes with lemon curd, however these are delicious with or without the curd filling.

Doctored Lemon Box Mix Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (substitute in for water)

• 3 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Lemon Curd

• Lemon Cake Box Mix

Directions

1. Preheat to 350°F and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners

2. In a large bowl, cream together your milk, eggs, egg yolks, vegetable oil, vanilla, and lemon juice until completely incorporated. Mix for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Slowly add your cake mix in at a time until just combined.

4. Scoop about 3 tablespoons worth into each cupcake liner, they should fill about 2/3 of the way.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out out the center with some crumbs and there is no jiggle. Remove cupcakes from the pan and onto a cooling rack when done and let them cool to room temperature completely before moving on.

6. Once cooled, take a cupcake corer or a tsp and core out the center. Be careful to not go too far in or you will break out the bottom of the cupcake.

7. Fill each cupcake just to the top with your preferred lemon curd, whether jarred or homemade. This can be accomplished by spooning it in or piping it using a piping bag.

8. Top with your favorite icing or I have a delicious American buttercream recipe here.

Recipe Notes

• Don't overfill your cupcakes to the top! They will overflow and will be difficult to decorate in the end. This goes for not wanting to underfill either. Doing so will make it difficult to fill them with lemon curd.

• Opt for a nice Swiss Meringue Buttercream for a perfect complement to the lemon without being overly sweet

• Remove cupcakes from the tin to prevent further baking

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