"Everything-free" Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Sugar Glaze (gluten-free, vegan)

I love lemon-flavored things. They represent all the sweetness and sunshine of summer, to me. I needed a dessert to take to a church potluck last week, and decided to make these. They turned out well, and got good reviews.

Rather than full-sized cupcakes, I made mini cupcakes for the potluck. A box of gluten-free cake mix only makes one cake layer, or one dozen cupcakes. I wanted to spread the joy a little more evenly, without using a second mix, and I decided that a whole plate of mini cupcakes was the answer. They were very cute and looked most tempting. :)

One of these days, I hope to be able to make really good, from-scratch cupcakes. Until then, I am happy with the results I get from the Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mixes.

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Sugar Glaze
gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free

Makes 12 cupcakes, or 24 mini-cupcakes + one shallow cake layer
Heat oven: 325 degrees Fahrenheit for dark or non-stick pans, 350 for shiny pans
 Line cupcake tin with baking cups, line bottom of cake pan with parchment paper

Cake
Dry ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker gluten-free yellow cake mix
    *contains potato and rice ingredients

Fat and wet ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) Earth Balance soy-free butter substitute
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup flax gel (egg replacer)
    see my post on May 4, 2018-Replacing Eggs: Flax Gel and Flaxmeal 
1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil (also egg replacer)
     see my post on March 3, 2018-  Replacing Eggs In Baking
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest of one large lemon)
2 teaspoons lemon extract
     (I used extract, as using fresh lemon juice does weird things to the texture)
(optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla)
    ( I used vanilla powder, which does not darken the batter the way vanilla extract does.)

Glaze 
when cakes are completely cooled
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
2 tsp- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

 The directions on the box mix say to use the "all-in-one" method of mixing the batter- dumping everything in at once. I have tried it this way, and adding the fat first, then the liquids. I don't see a big difference either way, so I do what the box says. :) Continue beating until the batter is nice and smooth, about one or two minutes, usually. Do not over-mix, as this will result in dry, crumbly cupcakes.

I like to use an ice-cream/cookie dough scoop for putting the batter in the cupcake tin. This is neater than using a spoon, and makes it easier to get equal amounts of batter in each cup.

Bake: 
In pre-heated oven, the mini cupcakes took 12 minutes, at 325 degrees;
       the shallow 8" cake layer took 15 minutes.

After removing from the oven, let sit for just a couple of minutes in the pan, then remove and set on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before glazing.

Glazing:
Once cupcakes are completely cooled, make the glaze. Put something (like a plate, or a sheet of parchment paper) under the cooling rack, to catch any drips or spills. Spoon a little bit of glaze onto each cupcake or cake and spread just to the edges. This glaze recipe made enough that I was able to add a second coating of glaze to all of the cupcakes. Let set until glaze is no longer wet.

Enjoy! :)