It May Be Little, But It Packs a Punch!

Good things come in small packages.

You’ve heard that one before, right? For this girl, that’s not always true. I don’t want a small little Corvette like my husband does. I want a HUGE, gas guzzling SUV that is larger than 3 of his little Corvettes. I want a Toyota FJ… or a Hummer!

When I cook, I rarely make dainty little dishes. I’m Italian! I only know how to cook in large portions. Lots of leftovers in this house.

When I was still single, I was always drawn to big guys… broad shoulders, strong forearms. I still am! I married a guy with both of those things.

So imagine my surprise when I found something good that really DOES come in a small package (besides babies and diamonds, of course)!

These little beauties are small, but they pack a major punch! Lemon Poppy Seed Cups are sweet and tangy and light. The “cup” part of this dessert is for you to explore possibilities with your imagination. I chose to add a small dollop of raspberry jam. If you really, really love lemon (like I do) try a small spoonful of lemon curd right on top! If you prefer the light and refreshing side of dessert, a small dollop of homemade whipped cream would be amazing. Goodness, even a drop of slightly warmed canned icing would be yummy, too! You really can’t go wrong. Be creative!

Enjoy. Savor each bite.

So now I’m wondering if a Lemon Poppy Seed Cup can teach a girl to really look for good things in little packages.

I would say it’s a distinct possibility.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cups

4 Tbsp butter, softened

½ cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, divided

1 egg

2 Tbsp lemon zest

4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 cup Pamela’s Baking Mix

¼ cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and ½ cup sugar. Add the egg, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp lemon juice and poppy seeds. Stir to completely combine.

Add the Pamela’s Baking Mix and buttermilk. Stir until smooth.

Fill muffin cups about ½ full (be sure to use all 12 cups). Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

In the meantime, in a small bowl mix together the remaining 2 Tbsp of lemon juice and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Stir until the sugar completely melts and becomes a light syrup.

Remove muffins from oven. Immediately poke the muffins with a toothpick all over the top (9-10 pokes each). Gently brush the tops with the lemon sugar syrup, going over each one twice.

Let cool completely before topping the cup with your choice of topping.

Makes 12 cups.