Cucumber Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Cupcakes

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped English cucumber (about ½ inch dice), pureed (375 mL)

½ cup canola oil (125 mL)

1 cup sugar (250 mL)

1 Tbsp lemon zest (15 mL)

1 tsp lemon extract (5 mL)

2 eggs (2)

1 ¾ cups flour (425 mL)

2 tsp baking powder (10 mL)

Icing

4 oz cream cheese, softened (112 g)

2 Tbsp canola margarine (30 mL)

1/2 tsp lemon extract (2 mL)

3 – 4 cups icing sugar (750 mL – 1 L)
1. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Purée cucumbers in food processor to yield ¾ cup (175 mL) puree.
3. In large bowl, beat the canola oil, sugar, lemon zest and lemon extract until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat well. Add ½ of the pureed cucumber and beat, followed by 1/3 flour mixture, ½ puréed cucumber and then the final 1/3 flour mixture.
4. Divide mixture into 12 paper cups. Bake cupcakes for 15 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, when inserted into the centre of one of the cupcakes.
5. Remove cupcakes from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in canola margarine and lemon extract. Add enough icing sugar, beating well, to reach desired consistency.
7. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese icing.