Champagne Lemon Drop Mini Muffins

Champagne Lemon Drop Mini Muffins

It’s the first week of April, and we’re in that weird spring/summer/allergy transition here in Nashville. Which means I can go for walks in the sunshine while simultaneously sneezing my face off! April has also brought a bridal shower, a wedding, and a birthday brunch. What I’m saying is, people are gathering ‘round for events that sometimes call for those delicate little finger foods they can carry around on a glass plate or tuck into a paper napkin.

I’m pretty much a baking purist. I don’t like taking the “easy” way out with box mixes. I want to measure and mix each ingredient, especially because sometimes I like to add a dash of this or that and that’s more doable when you’re adding everything yourself. But sometimes you need something that’s easy to throw together for all those events, and sometimes you find a recipe that uses a box mix that just works.

Champagne Lemon Drop Mini Muffins

Adapted from Butter with a Side of Bread

Pucker up! These tangy muffins have a sweet champagne glaze, and will add a pop of color to any table setting.

Makes: 70-75 mini muffins

Ingredients

Mini Lemon Muffins

• 1 box lemon cake mix, sifted

• 1 box instant lemon pudding mix (3.4 oz), dry

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 ¼ cup plain yogurt

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ½ cup whole milk

Champagne Lemon Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar

add more by ½ cups if you’d like it sweeter

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from a fresh lemon)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• ¼ cup champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine, with citrus notes

This is half the fun. Go to your local liquor/wine/grocery store and browse to find something that will work best. If you have no clue, Ruffino Prosecco is reasonably priced and fruity.

• ¼ cup hot water

Instructions

To make the Mini Lemon Muffins

1.     Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat a large mini muffin pan with baking spray.

2.     Beat the eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cake and pudding mix and beat for several minutes until blended and smooth.

3.     Fill each muffin holder about 1/2 full. You can use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon measurer. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4.     Cool the pan on a wire rack for about 2 minutes and then turn the muffin pan over on the rack so that all the muffins are upside down.

5.     Cool completely. Repeat until all the batter is baked.

To make the Champagne Lemon Glaze

1.     Place the wire racks with the cooled mini muffins on them over waxed paper.

2.     Beat the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Add more sugar if you want to make your glaze sweeter.

3.     Dip muffins in glaze to coat the bottoms (now the tops) and the sides and let the excess drip off back into the bowl.

4.     Place each lemon drop back on the wire racks until the glaze is set, then serve.

Store in a tightly sealed container. Keeps fresh for 3-4 days.