Tuesday was Cinquo de Mayo, and I was surprised not to find a good Margarita Cupcake recipe online. Margaritas and cupcakes are both so common, I was sure that someone would have mastered it. What I ended up doing was finding two sort-of-ok recipes and combining them. I need to do projects like this when I have more time, because I don't do so well putting my thinking cap on at 7am, but anyway, they turned out fine. And hey, a morning margarita ain't such a bad thing.
Margarita Cupcakes
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 C. granulated sugar
4 large eggs + 1 egg white, room temperature
2 T. vegetable oil
2 3/4 C. flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
3/4 C. + 2 T. whole milk
1/2 C. liquid Margarita Mix with tequila
Grated peel of 2 limes + juice
1 t. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Line 2 cupcake pans with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and the granulated sugar until creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, egg white and oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. In a large glass measuring cup, stir together the milk, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and margarita mix. On low speed, mix in one-third of the wet mixture, then one-third of the dry mixture. Repeat twice, ending with the dry mixture. Mix in the grated lime peel.
Fill each baking liner about three-quarters full with batter. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when gently touched, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Margarita/Lime Frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 box confectioners sugar
1/4 C. liquid Margarita mix, including tequila
2 T. grated lime peel + juice from about 4-6 limes
neon green food gel, or green food coloring - a couple of drops
white sanding sugar
lime zest
Using the electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter until creamy. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat in the rest of the ingredients, watching the consistency of the frosting - the lime juice tends to break it down and you don't want it to get too runny.
5. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Add the sanding sugar to a bowl; lay each frosted cupcake on its side in the bowl and gently rotate to form a rim of sugar. Top each cupcake with a few pieces of lime zest.
