Trix Cupcakes: a Dream Come True

The other night I was lying in bed, reading my Google Reader on my phone. I came across a Trix cupcake. Then I fell asleep, and had a dream about Trix cupcakes. (I go into REM sleep about 30 seconds after falling asleep.) Not wanting to actually get out of bed, and fearing that I would forget about this new fantasy of mine, I emailed myself, from my phone, "don't forget trix cupcake."

The next morning I was a little confused. (And, in case you're wondering, boxed wine actually had nothing to do with this saga.) But I was also excited about this blast from the past.

I needed to figure out the perfect combination, though, and who better to talk to about it than my brother, a kid I've had physical altercations with over breakfast cereal. (Cinnamon Toast Crunch, to be exact. One day, after realizing that there was only enough CTC for one more bowl, Jordan and I raced each other, fought at my grandma's glass storm door, and fought until my elbow broke through the glass. While I nursed my wound--one I still have a scar from--Jordan ate the last bowl of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Asshole.) When I mentioned the idea of a Trix cupcake, Jordan was interested. We brainstormed, and then agreed that a lemon-flavored cake would be good. And we decided that vanilla icing would work, too.

So I set out to find good recipes. And boy did I!

I give you, the Trix cupcake, a dream come true.

(This baking endeavor also allowed me to use one of my favorite kitchen toys, my lemon juicer, a gift from Matt's mom. Thanks, Sue!)

(For about a third of the cupcakes, I folded Trix into the batter, thinking it could be like some awesome funfetti cake. I thought I'd experiment. But when they baked, the Trix got too chewy. I wouldn't recommed it.)

And while the cupcakes baked, I got started on the icing, trying my best to match the icing on the Old Fashioned cupcakes at Back in the Day Bakery. This recipe was actually pretty close.

And then I went a little bonkers with my neon blue food coloring.

And it was so pretty on the cakes! I was afraid that I'd ruin them with the cereal.

But then, as a result of my ghetto-rigged pastry bag, my kitchen table started to look like a scene from my 10th birthday party. Ahhh, silly string.

And then I took the plunge. Well, the cupcakes did at least. And look at them!

F'ing beautiful.

Lemon Cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart's Lemon Cake recipe)

Ingredients
Serves 12
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3.Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.


Sassy Pants Vanilla Frosting (adapted from Martha Stewart's Fluffy Vanilla Frosting)

Ingredients
Makes about 4 cups
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions
1.With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
2.Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium-high. This process should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.
3.Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Happy Monday to you!