Bursting with crisp lemon flavor, these cupcakes are a ray of sunshine.

It was years ago, when I lived in sunny San Diego, that I first tried lemon poppy seed cake. I was shopping with my mom, on a stylish city block, and we spotted a cozy, quaint cafe called Zinc. Inside was a window shelf filled with enticing gourmet sweets. Bittersweet chocolate tarts, giant gooey cinnamon rolls, salted caramel cupcakes, brown butter chocolate chip cookies. We were in heaven! But the most beautiful dessert of all was the lemon poppy seed cake. We sat outside, in the warm breeze, and indulged in a giant slice. The cake was so deliciously bright and sweet, light and fluffy, that we went back in and got two more slices to take home.

When I came across Kodiak Cakes Almond Poppy Seed mix I remembered that perfectly sweet moment at the cafe with my mom, and I had to recreate it. It’s been snowing here, in Wyoming, for the past few days, (when it’s supposed to be spring), so a sunny dessert sounded like a breath of fresh air.

I decided to make cupcakes instead of cake, because they freeze so well. Sometimes you just need a cupcake and it’s wonderful to know you’ve got a few on reserve.

Poppy seeds are hard to find, so having a wholesome poppy seed filled mix for the the base was ideal. Kodiak Cakes mixes are my favorite timesaver when I’m making cupcakes because they’re so much healthier than your standard box mixes. They’re filled with protein, whole grains, and they’re non GMO. They always rise beautifully and have a soft fluffy texture. All I need to do is add a few extra ingredients and viola!

I added a touch of almond extract, along with some vanilla, to enhance the almond flavor in the mix even more. I really wanted that taste of lemon and almond together, it’s such a great combination. You want to be careful with almond extract as the flavor is very powerful. You only need a tiny bit. I added fresh lemon juice and zest to give a genuine pop of tangy lemon flavor. When it comes to lemon, nothing beats freshly squeezed juice and zest. The oil found in the lemon zest is crucial when you want that lemon flavor to shine. I added fresh juice and zest to the buttercream, too. You can use any type of milk in these cupcakes, but buttermilk is my go-to. I think it makes the cupcakes more sturdy and rich.

The end result of these cupcakes was exactly what I wanted. They’re a perfect spring or summer dessert. They’re light, tangy, sweet, and like a ray of sunshine. To give them some extra spring flair, I decorated mine with buttercream daisies. But don’t feel like you need to be fancy. A swirl of fluffy lemon buttercream and fresh lemon zest is all you need to make these beautiful. I just wish my mom was here to enjoy them with me!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

* Makes 12-15 cupcakes

• 2 cups of Kodiak Cakes Almond Poppy Seed Power Cakes Mix

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• zest of 1 large lemon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Almond Poppy Seed Mix and salt. Set aside.

3. In another medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon juice. Set aside.

4. In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix till well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

6. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the wet ingredients. Mix for about 20 seconds and scrape down the bowl. Repeat with the remaining dry and and wet ingredients, mixing till just combined.

7. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the lemon zest.

8. Fill each paper liner 2/3 full. I use an ice cream scooper to keep the cupcakes the same size. Bake for about 18 minutes, till a center tester comes out clean.

9. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Lemon Buttercream

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla

• zest of one large lemon

• a pinch of kosher salt

1. In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, till light and fluffy.

2. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest, and pinch of salt. Mix on medium speed till combined, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Frost each cupcake generously.

Enjoy!