Lemon Drop Cupcakes

taken from Better Homes and Gardens

3/4 cups butter

3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup limoncello (Italian lemon liqeur) or milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 recipe lemon frosting
1/2 cup lemon drop candies, finely crushed
1 recipe glazed lemon slices

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temp for 30 min.  In a medium bowl, stir together baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine the 2/3 C milk and the limoncello and set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on med. to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and lemon peel; beat until combined. Add eggs, one and a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. 3.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups (about 20) filling each about 3/4 full.  Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.  Bake for 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 min, remove to wire racks, cool completely. 
4.  Up to 1 hour before serving, generously spread or pipe lemon frosting onto cupcakes.  Sprinkle crushed candies over frosted cupcakes.  Top cupcakes with glazed lemon slices.

LEMON FROSTING
Allow 1/3 C butter sto stand at room temp. for 30 min.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter, 1/3 C shortening, and 1 tsp vanilla with an electric mixer on med. speed for 30 sec.  Slowly add 2 C powdered sugar, beating well.  Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice.  Gradually beat in 2 C additional powdered sugar.  beat in 1 - 2 Tbsp milk, 1 tsp at a time., until frosting is spreading consistency.  Makes about 2 1/3 C frosting.

GLAZED LEMON SLICES
Slice two small lemons into 1/4 in - thick slices.  Remove seeds.  Roll slices in sugar to coat well.  Coat an unheated large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Preheat skillet over med-high heat.  Arrange slices in a single layer in the skillet. Cook for 6-8 min or until sugar dissolves and lemon slices appear to be glazed (do not let them brown), turning once. Transfer to a piece of foil; cool completely.  Roll cooled lemon slices in sugar again before serving.  These slices are edible, if desired.

lemon peel

lemoncello

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