Pucker Up!! (Glazed Lemon Cakes)

It's spring!
One of my favorite spring or summer tastes is citrus.
Lemon is my favorite!
Fresh lemonade, Lemon Meringue pie, and of course
Glazed Lemon Cakes.

These lemon cakes are the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
They are closer in texture to a pound cake than a light and airy cupcake.
The fresh lemon juice and zest in the glaze takes it over the top!

Glazed Lemon Cakes
Makes 12 'regular' or 6 'Large' size muffins.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zest and juice (I usually use 1 & 1/2 lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest of 1/2 a lemon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour muffin tin.
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk (or yogurt) vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.
   
4. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
5. With the mixer on low speed, add the four mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the yogurt mixture.
   
6. Divide batter evenly into muffin tins. (12 regular or 6 large)
   
7. Bake until the toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes clean, 15 - 20 minutes . Cool for 10 minutes in tin, then cool completely on a wire rack.
   
8. In a small bowl, stir confectioners' sugar with the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth (add more lemon juice if needed). Pour over the cakes, or dunk em!, spreading to the edges with a small knife. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving to allow the glaze to set.
   
9. Enjoy!!!