Lemon Blossoms – Mini sweet, lemony muffin treats dunked in a lemon powdered sugar glaze…perfect for a party, shower, or just because.
These Lemon Blossoms are one of my favorite treats ever! They are the perfect little lemony bite!! It is really hard not to eat several of these little mini treats! You kind of find yourself thinking that because they are so small, one more can’t hurt…and then you realize you’ve eaten like six of them.
These lemon blossoms come from one of my favorite cookbooks, Paula Deen and Friends. They are perfect to serve at showers because they are just so dainty. I’ve updated the recipe a bit since cake mixes now come smaller, and I’ve included some tips below that work well for me!!
What do you need to make these Lemon Blossoms?
- yellow cake mix
- instant lemon pudding mix
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- powdered sugar
- lemons
Tips and Tricks I Like to Use for this Recipe:
- You want to make these with plenty of time before you need them. They take time to set up and cool. I like to make them the day or night before I need them.
- Don’t forget to spray the muffin tin so the lemon blossoms come out of pan easily.
- Do not overfill mini muffin tins. A little goes a long way. This batter will rise. I like to use a kitchen teaspoon and fill it about half way and then use another spoon to help get it into the muffin cup.
- Batter will be very thick. This is normal. It’s more like a cookie dough consistency than cake batter.
- I like to remove them from the oven and let cool a few minutes and then I start removing them from the pan. Most will come out easily if you sprayed well. Sometimes I run a knife around the edges to loosen them a little if needed.
- I like to have the glaze ready when the muffins come out of the oven.
- I have TWO muffin pans, just to make things go faster. This is not a requirement. You can always take the first batch out of the pan and glaze those while you bake the second batch.
Connect with Diary of a Recipe Collector! Follow us on social media, so you never miss a recipe!
Email Subscription | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
Lemon Blossoms
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- Glaze:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (325 for dark, non-stick pan)
- Spray mini muffin tins. This is really important!!! You may want two muffin tins. If you don't have two, make the first batch, and while you glaze these you can bake the 2nd batch.
- With an electric mixer, beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and oil for 2 minutes. Mixture will be thick.
- Using a teaspoon, place a small amount of batter in each mini muffin cup. Be careful not to overfill. A little goes a long way in these cups!! I usually use a kitchen teaspoon and use another one to scrape the batter off the spoon into the muffin tin.
- Bake for 10 -12 minutes. Watch carefully and remove once they begin to start turning golden brown around edges. Remove to a cooling rack or a towel. I like to make the glaze while they are baking so it is ready to use once they are baked. These do not need to cool but for a few minutes.
- For the glaze, put powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tbsp water. Mix with a whisk until smooth.
- While they are still warm, dunk each lemon blossom into glaze coating them as much as possible and return to cooling rack.
- Using a spoon, drizzle more glaze over blossoms, if desired.
- Let set for 1-2 hours. Store in airtight container.
- This recipe works great if you want to make them a day ahead too!
- Makes 4 dozen
Notes
This recipe still works well with the reduced cake mix sizes.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps us keep our blog running efficiently and allows us to create more recipes for you.
Do you need a mini muffin pan? We use ours all the time. I want this 24 cup one for sure!
If you love lemon desserts, try this one:
Triple Lemon Pound Cake – It has a baked lemon curd layer!
You can find more DESSERTS RECIPES HERE.
You can find ALL RECIPES HERE.
For more ideas, follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER.
Get FREE recipes delivered to you by email: SIGN UP HERE!
Oh Jaren, these Lemon Blossoms look so good!! I will have to try these out for sure. The lemon pound cake looks yummy as well. I love anything with lemon. I hope you guys have a wonderful and safe vacation!!! I know the kids are going to be super surprised at the reveal!! Hugs, Brenda
I am a HUGE Lemon Blossom FAN! I watched Paula Deen make them years ago & have been making them ever since. My favorite add-in (because is there such thing as too much lemon?) is extra fresh lemon juice squeezed into the batter! Any lemon fan will love it! We also sift a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top of the glaze for cuteness. We just made them tonight for my son’s 15th Birthday. They are his fav’s!! I have never traveled with them, but now we will never travel again without them! Yummm!
Hi! This dessert is one of my favorites too! Thanks for visiting!!
These are absolutely delicious!!! I need another 24 muffin pan!! Big hit for our prayer group.! I had to share the recipe with them because they wanted it too!!! Thanks!!
So glad you liked them!
Hello Brenda. These wee gems look amazing but I do have one question. What is the purpose of the oil in the glaze, I have never seen this before.
It gives them a sugary glaze coating that is so yummy!
I love lemon! These look so delicious with that glaze on top – pinned!
These are adorable, and perfect sized for eating more than one 🙂 Hope your vacation’s wonderful!
I agree! It was wonderful!
These look so delicious! I just can’t get enough lemon treats right now! Hope you and your family had a fabulous vacation!
Me either! Thanks, it was wonderful!
A few months ago I wanted something similar to this, tried a recipe and it was an epic fail! I’m so grateful to have found this one because I will have to try this one out! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
These look so good. I decided to make them for my daughter’s graduation party.
Wonderful! Hope you enjoy!
What a tasty little treat!
Thank you Sarah! They really are yummy!
Loveee anything lemon and these look awesome! So easy to make too!
They are super easy! Thanks for visiting Jessica!
Love lemon and made your fantastical Lemon Blossoms today to try them out for an upcoming bridal shower!! They were a definite hit with the family…my 93 year old mil went nuts over em and had the biggest smile on her face. They’re soo much fun to make, easy, moist and delicious!! Thank you sooo much for sharing this wonderful recipe :))
I’m making these this weekend for Easter dinner. Should they be refrigerated or just kept in an airtight container?
Hi Meaghan! You can keep them in an airtight container after they have been given a few hours to dry on the counter after dunking in glaze. Thanks for visiting!
I would like to make these but don’t have a yellow cake mix on hand, would a white cake mix work and is this recipe flexible. Can different cake mixes be used with the same results, example, chocolate or lemon, strawberry or French vanilla while keeping the glaze the same and maybe adding different extracts for flavours because this recipe has endless possibilities .
Hi Sophie!! I think a white cake mix would be just fine. It has pretty big lemon flavor by adding the lemon pudding and the lemon glaze. As to whether it would work with other cake mixes, I have done a Strawberry Lemon Blossom version by just using Strawberry Cake Mix. I blogged these over at Julie’s Eats & Treats. I have not tried chocolate yet, but it is on my list of things to do!!! Thanks for visiting!
Hi Jaren, thank you for your quick reply. I decided to go ahead and try this recipe using a chocolate cake mix with a chocolate pudding and then switching the lemon juice with orange juice and 1 tspn orange extract instead of orange zest because I did not have any oranges on hand. I would give it a thumbs up because as we all know, chocolate and orange go well together. So, for anyone who is interested in trying out different flavours, it does work. I will make the lemon blossoms next. Thanks again.
Oh I love that idea Sophie! Thanks for sharing!!
Thinking of trying these for a 60th anniversary party. Can they be made ahead and frozen? With the glaze on?
Hi Lynn! I have never frozen these, and if I did, I’m not sure I would glaze them before freezing. I would be afraid the glaze might crack and not look as pretty. I do think they could be frozen before glazing though. Just allow time for the glaze to dry before serving. Thanks for visiting!!
I freeze them frequently. You can totally pre make them and freeze them!
So awesome to hear!
Can these be made in a regular muffin pan (cupcake size) because I don’t have a mini muffin pan on hand? I am so excited to try this recipe out.
Hi! I’ve never tried them in a regular muffin pan, but I think it could work. I would only fill them up a little less than half-way because they do rise. You will also need to adjust your cooking time a little. They may take a little longer. Thanks for visiting!
How would I make this with high altitude
Hi Ericka. I do not have much experience baking at high altitude. I did find this awesome link for you though: https://thebestcakerecipes.com/high-altitude-cake-baking/
Hope this helps!
What size box cake mix do I use for this recipe? I only have a 15.25 size which is the only size Duncan Hines sells anymore, just wondering if this size will work with the portions of the other ingredients. Plz reply
Hi Debra! I know this is so frustrating that they have started reducing their sizes again and again. Since all the brands have started this, I haven’t retested this recipe. I know people have bought a second box and added the other 3 oz. (about 1/3 cup) to their recipe. That is an okay solution, but I would like to rework this recipe, so I plan on adding some extra flour and a little extra sugar. You want the batter to be just a tad thicker than a normal cake batter. I’m hesitant to reduce the eggs and the oil because they are what make this recipe not so much like a cake in the way of texture. I’m sorry I haven’t tested it out yet, and thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Hi Jaren,
Just a quick question for you. Do you dunk the entire mini muffin in the glaze, or just the tops?
Going to try them for Memorial Day party this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Chris! I try to get most of it covered. Thanks for visiting!!
Do you use instant pudding or the cook pudding?
Hi Kathy! Use instant pudding. I update the recipe too! Thanks!
I just added all the ingredients for the muffins together. The mixture seems extremely thick, so thick in fact, that it slowed down my kitchen aid mixer at full speed. Is this how it should be?
Hi Jordan! Humm…this mixture is not normally that thick and I use my hand mixer for it. Are you sure you did 4 eggs and 3/4 cup of oil? And the glaze ingredients separately? It should be a little thicker than cake batter.
I’m making this now, and yes my mix is extremely think also. I have added 4 large eggs and 3/4 of oil. I’m hoping they turn out. I’m making them for Library Bake Sale. 😫
Hi Sandra! It is a thick batter. It’s okay! They should turn out fine! People love these!
Hi! Love this recipe! I’ve made it several times and is always a hit. Do you think this recipe would work in a bunt cake?
thanks
Jenny Lynn
HI Jenny Lynn! I’m not sure it would work for a bundt cake because they tend to deflate when you take them out of the oven. I do have a great lemon bundt cake recipe on my blog that I LOVE if you are interested in checking it out: https://www.diaryofarecipecollector.com/triple-lemon-poundcake.html
Will these stay fresh for how long before freezing??
Making them now. Can’t wait to taste. Will let you know.
Love these lemon blossoms!!
Hi Kathy! I have not frozen them because we normally eat and share them very quickly. I wouldn’t freeze longer than a few months. Hope this helps! Glad you enjoyed them!
I have made these several times and they always turn out great! Everyone loves them!
Hi Stacee! I agree! They always receive rave reviews for everyone! Thanks for visiting!
Do you think they could be made using lemon cake mix with pudding included and omit the lemon pudding?
Hi Charlotte! I think doing that would reduce the amount of dry ingredients and then affect the ratios of dry to wet. I’m not sure that would work.
Hi Jaren I was wondering if you have used the Lemon Cake Mix and the lemon pudding or if it would be too much lemon?
I say go for it! I can never get enough lemon!
I made these also, and the batter was so thick my mixer could hardley mix. I went back and made sure I had added the correct ingredients.
Also my glaze was thick. I added more lemon juice.
They turned out okay, but they did not look like your picture. I was disappointed.
Hi Amanda! Yes, this mixture is more like a cookie batter than a cake batter. I wouldn’t say that my hand mixer had trouble mixing it though. The first time I made these, I promise they weren’t all that pretty either. You have to be really careful about how much batter you put in each cup because it really does rise. This also makes them way easier to remove from the pan. The glaze is pretty thick too…I would say slightly thinner than the consistency of glue and it really coats them. But if you had trouble with getting an easy coat of glaze on them, adding lemon juice was the right thing to do 🙂
These are wonderful!! I have been making these for years!!
Could you use lemon cake mix with pudding in mix and also add box of pudding Mix?
Hi Petunia! I’ve not made these with lemon cake mix since they have a pretty big dose of lemon already with the lemon glaze. If you make it, be sure to let me know how you liked them!
I have mini muffin pans non stick. They are wilton brand. 11 minutes we’re still to dark. Yours looks so beautiful and pale. Maybe do 325 degrees?
Hi Jolene! Yes, sometimes those non-stick, dark pans need 325 degrees. I’ll make a note on the recipe.
Yes you can freeze them I make them for my sister-in-law every year I make 10 dozen and they freeze really good she says they come out they’re not sticky but the trick is you have to unthaw them in the fridge hope that helps
I have made these blossoms numerous times. They always, always stick. So very disappointed. The ones that come out in one piece are delicious. HELP!
Hi! I use a Wilton dark, non-stick mini muffin tin for these and they usually come out pretty easy. I also give the pan a very generous spray. I did have a problem not too long ago when I tried a new muffin tin that wasn’t non-stick. Also, if too much batter is put in muffin cup, it will rise too much. These are harder to get out of the pan as well.
I also had this problem but figured it out. I didn’t respray the pans in between batches. Lesson learned.
Has anyone made these out of chocolate cake mix, if so would you post recipe? Thx
Hi Mary! I have a another recipe here: https://www.diaryofarecipecollector.com/double-chocolate-cups.html
Hi! 4 dozen is quite a bit of delicious goodness for the small event I plan on making these for. Would you recommend halving the ingredients to get a smaller amount or should I let it be? They will most likely be devoured quickly either way!
Hi Laila! I would make the whole batch!
Hi there I use a combination of one cup flour 1 cup shortening and one cup vegetable oil mix until well combined should look like loose whip cream taking the pastry brush paint the inside of the muffin tins and your muffins will come out no problem I’m a baker I’ve been using this technique for years I got it off the internet hope it helps
These sound wonderful. My daughter and I are wanted to add a new cookie recipe to our Christmas cookie list and we are thinking about this one. I’ve read the comments and didn’t find the answer to my question. How long will these cookies stay good after baking them? And what is the best way to store them?
Hi Cathy! These are more of a little lemon cake than a cookie, and we LOVE them! They stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days and I store them in a plastic container with a lid or a storage bag or on a sheet pan covered in foil.
Any ideas on how to make these into a cake??? My daughter wants it for her birthday.
Hi LeAnne! I have not tried to make this particular recipe into a cake. I do have a new lemon cake recipe I just posted this week if you are interested in that. It can be found here: https://www.diaryofarecipecollector.com/triple-lemon-poke-cake.html
Love this “Lemon Blossoms”, seems so delicious, will love to try this onw, thanks for sharing instructions and ingredients.
Kind of new recipe shared “Lemon Blossoms”, will love to try this one. Thanks for sharing this one with us.
Love these Lemon Blossoms recipe , these seems so delicious , will love to try this one for sure . Thanks for sharing with us .
These Lemon Blossoms seems so delicious and amazing at same ,will love to make this one , my member will love this one
Love this “Lemon Blossoms”, Thank you for sharing with us.