Lemon Cream Cupcakes

Randal has been wanting me to make a cupcake version of the Olive Garden lemon cream cake for a long time. The layer cake version has always been one of the favourite cakes that I make, so it's no surprise that the cupcake version is just as good. This cake is probably the only cake that I make with a cake mix these days, but I always have so I always will!

For the cake:
1 white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup oil
3 egg whites

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the crumb topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Make white cake following directions on box.  Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Make lemon cream filling by mixing cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon juice.

Whip cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Combine cream cheese mixture whith whipped cream.

Make crumb topping by combining flour and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add butter and dribble in the vanilla extract. Use your hands to mix cold butter into flour and sugar. Break butter into smaller and smaller pieces as you incorporate it into the dry ingredients. Be sure not to press the mixture together. You want to end up with a very crumbly consistency with pieces no bigger than a pea.

When the cakes are cool, using the cone method fill the inside of the cupcakes with a spoon of the filling.  Top with the remaining filling and sprinkle the crumb topping over the top.

  Linked to: Made in a Day, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Two Yellow Birds, Mandatory Mooch, Mom on Time Out, Miz Helen's Country Cottage,