12/6/2006 - When Hunger Strikes in the Middle of the Night

Sorry for the spot-on-dreadful picture above, but this is what you end up with if you dare to do a bit of food photography in the middle of the night in kitchen where you've thrown the wrong light switch.

Still, despite the godawful shot, these cupcakes ended up as beautifully golden little domes oozing with lemony sweetness.  I am beginning to think that my mad midnight munchie fest probably stems from the fact that therewas a full moon out last night.  It's either that or the number of recent food blog entries where citrus-flavored cakes, cupcakes, and preserves have been featured.  (I seriously suggest that you check out Stel's citrusy yogurt cake at Baby Rambutan and Obachan's lemon poppyseed muffins and lemon curd over at Obachan's Kitchen and Balcony Garden.)

Anyone who loves lemon in cakes should definitely try to make and eat these babies.  They are so moreish.

Midnight Lemon Cupcakes

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup orange or mango juice or sweetened lemonade
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract/flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sift together, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a well in the center and pour in oil, eggs, juice, and lemon flavoring.  Mix until you achieve a smooth batter.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees / Gas mark 3.

Line the cups of a standard-size muffin pan with cupcake papers.  Fill cups with batter till about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Incidentally...  Gackt will be appearing in a major role in NHK-BS2's 2007 Taiga (Japanese feudal period) drama series Fuurin Kazan.  He'll be playing Japanese historical figure Kenshin Uesugi as seen in the photo below.

Gorgeous, ain't he? =^w^=