Here are several cupcake recipes provided by Virginia Johnson:

Lemon cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1½ cups self-rising flour

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in 24 muffin tins. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, milk and grated lemon rind. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and beat well.

Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk, lemon juice and grated rind, beating well after each addition. Spoon batter into each lined muffin cup, filling about half full.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or when the cupcakes pass the clean toothpick test. Remove cupcakes from tins; cool. Frost if desired.

- Adapted from "Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-fashioned Recipes

from New York's Sweetest Bakery,"

by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey.

Sock-it-to-me cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 (two-layer) package yellow cake mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

4 large eggs

1 (3-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding

Streusel topping (see recipe below)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1½ cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix, water, oil, sour cream, eggs and pudding mix in a large bowl; whip until light and fluffy. Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each about half full. Sprinkle with topping.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick pushed into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Gently remove each cake and cool slightly. Serve warm.

- Adapted from "The Church Ladies' Divine Desserts," by Brenda Rhodes Miller.

Streusel topping

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1½ cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over unbaked cupcakes.

- Adapted from "The Church Ladies' Divine Desserts," by Brenda Rhodes Miller.

Peanut butter cupcakes

Ingredients for cake:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

Peanut butter topping (see next recipe)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and creamy. Add egg; beat well.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat well after each addition.

Fill 12 paper cups in a muffin pan half full of batter. Sprinkle peanut butter topping over cakes. Bake 15 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Remove each cupcake and cool slightly. Serve warm.

- Adapted from "The Better Homes

and Gardens Junior Cookbook."

Peanut butter topping

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of each cupcake before baking.

- From "The Better Homes

and Gardens Junior Cookbook."

Red devil's-food cupcakes

Ingredients:

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted

all-purpose flour

1½ cups granulated sugar

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dry cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium eggs, unbeaten

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine the milk, sour cream and vanilla. Set aside. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl; also set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until well mixed. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add both the dry and the milk mixtures. Beat until light and fluffy.

Spoon batter into lined muffin cups until half full. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan, and let cool before frosting.

- Adapted from "Gold Medal

Jubilee Recipes: 1880 to 1955."