My Favorite Things
Margarita Cupcakes
CAKE:
9 ounces liquid Margarita mix (a little over a cup)
3 ounces Gecko Blue 100% Agave tequila (a little less than 1/3 cup) (use
your favorite Tequila if you do not have this one!)
¾ ounce Grand Marnier
1 box white cake mix
3 large egg whites
2 Tbls vegetable oil
1 Tbls lime zest
LIME BUTTERCREAM ICING:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbls fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lime zest
green food coloring, if desired
small lime slices for garnish, if desired
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two dozen cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. Prepare cupcakes: Whisk together margarita mix, tequila and Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Measure out 1¼ cups for the recipe; pour the rest on some ice and drink it while making the cupcakes!
3. In a large bowl, blend cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, lime zest and 1¼ cups of the margarita mix from step 2. Blend on low for about 30 seconds and then increase speed to medium and blend for two additional minutes. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
4. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners (about ¾ full). Bake for 20-25 min, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pans, then remove them to a rack to cool completely.
5. Prepare icing: Prepare the icing while the cupcakes are cooling. Place butter in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until butter is fluffy. Add 5 cups of powdered sugar, salt, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix until creamy and well blended. Add more powdered sugar until the frosting is of a good spreading (or piping) consistency if needed. Mix in a drop or two of green food coloring or gel paste if you’d like the frosting to have a light green tint. Ice cupcakes in whatever manner you prefer… spreading or piping the frosting. Use thin lime slices as garnish.
Yield: About 24
Cooking Tips
*Do not worry too much about exact measuring for the margarita
mix/tequila/Grand Marnier. Just eyeball it and measure out the 1 1/4
cups that you’ll need for the recipe.
**If you just spread frosting on the cupcakes (rather than piping),
you’ll probably have a bit of frosting leftover.
***If you prepare these a day before, it’s best to place the cupcakes in
a covered container and refrigerate them. Bring them to room temperature
before serving. If you are not serving till the next day, it is best to
store the cupcakes and icing separately and ice them just before
serving.
Of course, they’re best if eaten the day they’re made! But the icing picks up the flavors of the lime as it sits.
What Are Your Favorite Things?
