#49 Margarita Cupcakes

Well this sucks!! I thought I had a posted these right after cinco de mayo and apparently it never made it..... Very sad :(
So anyways here you go. Enjoy! I'll be back with some bacon cupcakes VERY soon promise :)


 

Yeah Yeah I know I am about cinco días libres!

Better Late than Never :)

The best part of this recipe is that you use a box mix for the base which makes cuts the prep time in half making it perfect for a last min party. Just make sure to grab a white cake mix that has NO pudding. If you have some tequila hanging around you can also substitute out 1/4 cup of the margarita mix and that should give it a little extra kick too.

Margarita Cupcakes (courtesy of Food.com)

Feel free to add more lime zest. the lime the better! If you're a lover of box mixes check out my pink lemonade cupcakes.

The Goods

1 (18 1/4oz) box white cake mix with no pudding in the mix

1 (10oz) can frozen margarita mix, thawed (undiluted)

3 egg whites room temp

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

The How To

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and zest your lime(s)

If you end up with extra zest just freeze it and save for a later time.

In a large bowl combine cake mix, margarita mix, egg whites and vegetablele oil using with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Turn the speed up to medium-high and continue to beat for an additional 2mins.

Stir in lime zest then fill cupcake liners about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Bake for 18-20mins rotating halfway through the baking time. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 8mins. Then remove cupcakes and let cool completely before frosting.

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
If you rather use buttercream then use the recipe from the pink lemonade cupcakes and just substitute out the lemon for lime.

The Goods
1 stick of butter room temp
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese room temp
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon of lime zest
4-5cups powdered sugar

The How To
With the mixer on medium-high speed beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy about 3mins.

Add in the lime juice, powdered sugar and zest. Mix until fulling incorporated. Add a little green food coloring to give it a true margarita feel. Frost cupcake. Now add the "salt" which is white sanding sugar that has been rolled around the bottom edge of the frosting.

Now add some umbrellas, straws, and or lime wedges for some fun finishing touches.

Reminds me of lazy summer days :)
Enjoy!!

Up Next...
Maple Bacon Cupcakes

#48 Carrot Cupcakes

Moist
Savory
Flavorful
Should I say more? Hands down this is the best dang carrot cupcake I've ever had!!! Martha really nailed it this time. All I have to say is just grab yourself a pound of carrots and test this out for yourself :)


Carrot Cupcakes (courtesy of Martha Stewart)
MMMMMMMM!!!


The Goods
1lb carrots, peeled an finely grated
3lg eggs room temp
1/3 buttermilk room temp
2cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans toasted and chopped (or raisins, cranberries or walnuts-whatever you are feeling!)
3 cups flour sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

The How To
Start off with chopping or running the pecans through the food processor then baking at 350 degrees for 8-10mins make sure to stir at least once. Transfer nuts to a plate and let cool completely. While those are cooling turn down the oven to 325 degrees and combine your dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Once the pecans have cooled combine them and all the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk and mix to combine.

Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.

Divide batter evenly among cups, filling three quarters full.

Bake for 20-23mins rotating halfway through the baking time. Transfer tin to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
This is some pretty amazing stuff! I added more vanilla but definitely start out with what's shown below and add more if desired.

The Goods
2 sticks butter unsalted and at room temp
12oz cream cheese room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

The How To
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy about 3mins.

Reduce speed to low add sugar l cup at a time then vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.

Now put that frosting to work!!!

 Add some toasted coconut is the perfect finishing touch. Check out my Turkey Cupcakes for the directions.

Up Next...
Margareta Cupcakes



#47 Egg Surprise Cupcakes

Hipity Hop are you ready for Easter?
I've had my lovely Easter cupcakes picked out for months. I bought a 2 pound bag of lemons to make some amazing lemon meringue cupcakes. BUT then I came across the most intriguing post over on one of my favorite blogs cupcake project. They had themselves some cupcakes baked in egg shells. YES egg shells. I stopped dead in my tracks and was amazed! Who would have thought? Right? So since this seemed a lot more interesting than carrot or lemon cupcakes I started my hunt for the number one item on my list-speckled eggs. I really didn't think they would be that hard to find since Martha uses them and all. WRONG!!!! I checked every freakin store and one egg farm in town and found nothing close to speckled eggs. The closest thing I came too was brown eggs with slight spots on top. I gave up and just bought some brown eggs at Freddy's. Now onto the second part of this baking extravaganza the batter. What should I use? I started off with some red velvet dyed purple... Yes the batter was purple but after it's baked it looked like plain chocolate cupcakes. This was not good enough so on to the second plan-marble cupcakes-which is vanilla and chocolate batters separated and then swished together to make a pretty pattern. Perfect! Other than over filling these suckers they turned out great. The only thing I would do differently is some how give them a filling. Maybe next time... Anyways grab some lovely eggs and you're favorite cupcake recipe and give these a try. They will be a huge hit!

Egg Surprise Cupcakes
This would be really fun with a vanilla cake mix separated and dyed different colors you would have a fun tye dye effect.

The Goods
12 eggs
Favorite Cupcake Recipe (I picked a marble which is vanilla and chocolate swirled together.)

The How To
Take the eggs one at a time and drill a hole into the bottom of the egg. The hole must be large enough to fit a  piping tip through. Dump the contents out.

After all the eggs have been emptied, rinse in warm water then transfer to a pot filled with water and bring the shells to a boil.

Fill the shells with water first this keeps them from floating around and crashing into each other.

Remove from pan and place shells on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 225 for 18-25mins. This will dry the shells out.

Once the shells have cooled take a cupcake tin and line the cups with foil. The foil will keep the shells from tipping over.

Once you have you're shells situated, turn up the oven to 350 degrees and prepare you're batter. Place the batter into a bag(s) fitted with a piping tip. If you don't have one just use a zip lock bag and snip the corner off.

Yummy vanilla and chocolate!

Pipe batter into shells. Aim for about 2/3rds full. If you have a two toned batter like mine make sure to alternate and swirl the batter around with a toothpick for a marble effect.

Once all the eggs have been filled bake for 18-20mins rotating half way through the baking time. Test out the centers with a toothpick and if it comes out clean then they are done.

They kinda look like a science project that went wrong!

If your eggs look anything like mine then they will have to be cleaned off. So after they have had a chance to cool, take a damp paper towel or wash cloth and carefully clean off the shells.

Tada!!! Cupcake eggs!!!!

Now go ahead and crack one open you'll be delightfully surprised :)

Enjoy!

Up Next...
Carrot Cupcakes
Seriously this time it really is!

#46 Chai-Tea Cupcakes

Yes I'm a slacker...... I actually had these cuppys made Tuesday but I just didn't get a chance to get them up and posted yesterday. These spicy lovelies were  picked by Simple Girl for the monthly Martha Stewart Cupcake Challenge. Now let me tell you I've been dying to make these for awhile! I am a HUGE lover of chai tea and I even saved some of my favorite loose tea for these cupcakes. The smell of these reminded me of spice cake. My husband said they reminded him of pumpkin pie. I wasn't a huge fan of the glaze.... Pretty much if you don't eat them right away then the frosting oozed and goes everywhere. But it did taste good!!

Chai-Tea Cupcakes (courtesy of Martha Stewart)
I did make these in regular size. Just change the bake time to 18mins.

The Goods
3/4 cup milk
2 bags black tea ( I used a combo of Golden Monkey and Taj Masala Chai Tea which are both loose black teas that can be found at Teavana)
1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
1 cup cake flour sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 heaping teaspoon cinnamon (I heart cinnamon!!)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 stick of unsalted butter room temp.
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs room temp.

The How To
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring your milk to a simmer in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the two tea bags, over pan and let steep for 15mins. Remove bags and squeeze out excess liquid.  Set aside and let the milk mixture cool completely.



Just pretend that this is in focus.... The milk will take on a light brown hue.

 Whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, pepper, and spices. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the brown sugar and the butter. Mix on medium high speed for 2mins or until fluffy.

Add the eggs on at a time mixing well between each addition.

Reduce speed to low  and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the milky tea and beating until just combined after each.

Divide evenly among mini cupcake tins, filling about three-quarters full. Bake for 10-12mins rotating half way through the bake time. Let cool completely before glazing.

Condensed-Milk Icing

Now if you're going to eat these right away make up the glaze if not wait and make it when needed.

The Goods

1/2 stick of butter room temp

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Pinch of salt

The How To

Combine the butter, condensed milk and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed until smooth.

Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the sugar. Once all the sugar has been added turn the speed up to high and whisk until thick and smooth.

Once the cupcakes have had a chance to cool completely take and dip the tops into the icing then turn over quickly and let set.

Getting fancy with the flowers in the background ;)

Since everything taste better with sprinkles I topped each with a little rainbow sanding sugar to give them a little flair.

Lovely little rainbows!

Don't forget you only have 2 days left to sign up for a giveaway from my store with Little Boys are Made of Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails head over there for all the details!!

Up Next...

Carrot Cupcakes