Meyer Lemon Cupcakes... with coconut oil and a lemon-sugar glaze.

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes or  "Lemon Drop" Cupcake... made with coconut oil and a lemon-sugar glaze. I've acquired quite a few meyer lemons  recently. Well, actually, I've had them throughout most of the winter and I've loved using them in all sorts of dishes... they just have that perfect tartness. Not that puckering tartness that's normally associated with regular lemons. They're slightly sweeter  with a touch of mandarin/orange flavor in them. Honestly, I can even eat the segments without too much of a problem... ok, I pucker up a bit, but it's doable:)

But throughout the winter, I loved using the lemons in savory dishes and salad dressings. And sometimes I'd use them in a lemon-water cleansing drink, which my husband absolutely loves. It's basically just meyer lemon juice and water. But it's so refreshing. And even though I've used up most of my meyer lemons, I made a point to keep a few... just to make these cupcakes.

I've been searching for a great standby lemon dessert for some time now. I love lemon desserts... my husband, not so much. So when I was looking for just the right lemon dessert, I had my husband in mind. It was necessary that my husband enjoy the dessert... and not just once. I kept looking for a recipe that would have great lemon flavor without it being too overpowering. At the same time, I wanted a recipe that would be easy to make... using basic ingredients. 

When I came across King Arthur Flour's Lemon Bliss Bundt cake, it sounded exactly like what I was looking for. A recipe that used simple ingredients, was pretty much fuss-free and quick to make. Looking over the recipe, I knew I could adjust some of the ingredients to suit my preference. Decided to use coconut oil instead of the butter, lowered the sugar amount, added a bit more lemon flavor and adjusted the glaze a bit. I also chose to halve the recipe to make cupcakes instead of the bundt cake... just because cupcakes are easier to eat (portion control) and they freeze well (can defrost 1 or 2). 

I left the cupcakes unfrosted because I didn't want to add any more calories, and well, because it had this real nice moist glaze already... could almost be a muffin really. But adding a frosting would really take the cupcakes over the top. I've been thinking on a lemon curd, mascarpone-whipped cream frosting... still playing around with the frosting idea:). But even a cream cheese frosting would work beautifully. The cupcakes were still delicious even without any frosting. My husband loved them... said they reminded him of lemon drops:). I even managed to bake a second batch in a sheet pan, cut out circles and froze them for a future mini lemon cake project:). Hope you enjoy...              

Note: You can double recipe and bake in a 10 inch bundt pan, baking for 55-60 minutes....or double recipe and bake in sheet pan for about 20 minutes or so.

Tip: Substitute unsalted butter for coconut oil, use lemon oil (less) for the extract, or regular lemon rind and juice, adjusting sugar in glaze, as meyer lemons aren't as sour.

You will need: inspired by KAF

1/2 cup coconut oil, not melted

3/4-1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ex-large eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

3 tsps finely grated meyer lemon rind, or to taste 

1/2 tsp lemon extract

Glaze:

1/2 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp lemon meyer lemon rind

1/8 tsp rum extract, optional

Frosting: of choice: optional:)

a good cream cheese frosting would work well, 

as well as a mascarpone, lemon curd, whipped cream combo

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
• Place cupcake liners in a 12 capacity muffin pan

1. Beat together the coconut oil, sugar, lemon rind, lemon extract and salt till fluffy.... 3-4 minutes.

2. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Mix the baking powder with flour... then add the flour alternately with the milk in 3 additions. Start and end with the flour. Mix until smooth. 

4. Using a 1 1/2 TBS cookie scoop, scoop 2 scoops in each cupcake liner.

5. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. While the cupcakes are baking, make the glaze. In a measuring cup( or bowl) stir together the lemon juice, lemon rind, rum extract and sugar. Stir it so sugar dissolves. Set it aside.

7. Remove the cupcakes from the oven poke the hot cupcakes all over with a toothpick.

8. Brush glaze on the hot cupcakes, allowing glaze to sink in. Brush on more glaze, until all the glaze is used up.

9. Allow cupcakes cake to cool and dry out a bit before frosting .... or enjoy as is.