• Set your 6 cupcakes aside.
• Clean and dry your lemon. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and place your lemon on it.
• Use a microplane to zest the lemon, collecting the zest in a small bowl. Set it aside.
• Slice the lemon to prepare it for candying.

Candied Lemons

• Place water and sugar in a medium pan over medium/high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
• When the mixture begins to boil, add the lemon slices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the lemons simmer for about an hour, flipping them every 20 minutes.
• Once the lemons are done, lay them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to dry. This typically takes about a full day.

Lemon Frosting

• In a large bowl, whip the butter using an electric mixer for about 2 minutes.
• Add lemon juice or lemon extract and lemon zest to the bowl, and mix them together.
• Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing, and pour in the heavy whipping cream as you continue to mix. Mix until everything is combined and smooth like frosting.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a 2D or M1 piping tip, or your preferred tip. If necessary, use scissors to cut an opening in the bag for the tip.
• Place the piping bag, with the tip in it, in a tall cup. Take a toothpick and dip it into the yellow gel food color. Carefully swipe it across the inside of the bag, adding a yellow tint to the frosting. Be cautious not to puncture the bag.

Assembly

• Gather your cupcakes, frosting-filled piping bag, candied lemons, and citric acid in one area.
• Ice the cupcakes by holding the piping bag closely above each cupcake. Lightly squeeze the piping bag and move it in a circular motion to cover the edges. Continue squeezing and moving in a circular direction, creating layers until you make a peak of frosting on each cupcake. Repeat this process for all 6 cupcakes.
• Once the cupcakes are completely iced, sprinkle a desired amount of citric acid on top of each cupcake. This will add a delightful tanginess to complement the lemon flavor.
• For an extra burst of pucker, you can also sprinkle some citric acid on the candied lemon slices.
• Place a candied lemon slice on top of each cupcake, gently pressing it into the frosting.
• Finally, display your Lemon Drop Dumbledore Cakes on a dish or platter, ready to be devoured!