Lemon Ice Box Pie Cupcakes with Lavender Benne Seed Shortbread Crust

Lemon ice box pie is the lemon version of key lime pie - with a small but important twist. On a hot, sticky Southern summer day, lemon ice box pie always beats out its key lime cousin because lemon ice box pie is served frozen!  I made my lemon ice box pie as jumbo cupcakes, ripe for sharing on the porch swing with a tall glass of sweet tea.

Rather than the traditional graham cracker crust, these lemon ice box pie cupcakes have a lavender benne seed shortbread crust.  The lavender is almost undetectable unless you are looking for it.  However, it adds a complex floral note that makes the cupcakes seem extra-special - even if you can't put your finger on why.

I topped the lemon ice box pie cupcakes with the biggest blackberries that I've ever seen and some lemon basil picked right off of the plant.  Think of the top of your lemon ice box pie cupcakes as a palette.  There's tons of room up there for whatever fresh fruit you can find!  If you are still looking for that perfect July 4th cupcake, lemon ice box cupcakes topped with red raspberries and blueberries would surely fit the bill. 

My favorite quote about these cupcakes came from my new friend, Amy, who said, "These are stooopid!"  You have to imagine her saying it with long Southern drawl on the "oooo" and you must realize that calling them "stooopid" was her utmost compliment!

Mocha Fudge Pops for TLC

Only the true Cupcake Project stalker may have noticed the new TLC Cake Crew Badge on the lower right side of my blog.  A while back, I was asked to be part of a small group of bloggers chosen by TLC - The TLC Cake Crew.  I was highly honored to be asked - check out the list of Cake Crew bloggers (many of whom I stalked even before joining the crew).  This month, TLC sent each Cake Crew member a Flip video camera and asked us to share a favorite summer dessert with TLC.com.  I say this somewhat nonchalantly, but you have to imagine me jumping up and down with excitement.  I'd wanted a Flip for quite some time and had almost purchased one.  Plus, my video was going to be on TLC (I know, it's the dot com and not the TV channel, but it's a step).  Woot!

After MUCH deliberation, I decided to make mocha fudge pops for my TLC video. Unlike standard popsicles, these mocha fudge pops are actually frozen cupcakes on a stick.  Not all cake works frozen.  I considered making cheesecake (if you haven't tried frozen cheesecake, you should), but I settled on a flourless chocolate cake with a splash of Kahlua that essentially tastes like frozen fudge (a true fudgsicle).

Below, you'll find the video that I made for TLC.  TLC will be choosing their favorite Cake Crew video based on creativity, appearance, and online feedback.  So, if you like the mocha fudge pops, please leave comments on this post. Thanks! The winner of TLC's contest will get a 15 minute interview with the Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro.  If I win, I'd share the love by soliciting questions from you!

I've included the mocha fudge pop recipe beneath the video.