Lemon Cupcakes with Citrus Icing

These cupcakes caused my son to use a new word: "Scrumptious!" He then continued to say, "Thumbs up mom! I'm tempted to eat all of them"

I found these cupcakes in a diet cookbook and I guess it's because they don't involve chocolate and they are really light. Don't make the word light turn you away though- they are definitely sweet! The original recipe calls for safflower oil and non-fat milk, but I used canola and original soy milk and they turned out absolutely divine.

Lemon Cupcakes with Citrus Icing
Recipe adapted from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook
Makes 12 plus muffins (I had enough to do 12 mini ones as well)

Cupcakes:
1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup soy milk (or milk)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 450. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
To prepare the cupcakes: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Combine the oil, eggs, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract in a second bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir until really smooth.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 17-19 minutes or until lightly golden and the cupcakes are springy when gently touched. Place pan on a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan, transfer to the rack and let cool completely.
To prepare the icing: Combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a bowl and stir until smooth. (add more juice if needed) Spread some of the glaze over each cupcake with a small spatula and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Carrot Cake

This cake is so moist and oh so delicious. It's my grandma's recipe and I remember my mom making it quite often growing up. They always frosted it with a traditional cream cheese frosting which I added below, but if you want it completely dairy free you'll have to use a dairy free frosting like Duncan Hines Classic Homestyle, Whipped Vanilla or this one posted on my blog

Carrot Cake

Recipe from Grandma Lill

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups grated carrots (raw and packed)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans (or one 9 by 13). Combine oil and sugar and mix well. Sift in half of the dry ingredients and half of the eggs mixing well each time. Repeat with the rest. Add carrots and vanilla and mix well. Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes. Cool and frost.

Dairy Free Frosting

1 cup dairy free butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla 
1/8 tsp salt 

In a mixing bowl or your stand up mixer, cream the butter/shortening. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Lastly add in the almond milk, vanilla and salt and mix until nice and smooth. 

My Grandma's Cream Cheese Frosting (definitely not dairy free)

Recipe from Grandma Lill

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cube butter (1/2 cup)

3 ounces cream cheese

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla