Margarita Cupcakes

As soon as I heard there was such a thing as Margarita Cupcakes, I wanted one.  And since we were going to a fajita and margarita party this weekend it was a great excuse to make them! 

This task took me 2 tries to get it right.  I had originally tried to make a recipe that I found on a blog that was from scratch, but it just didn't turn out.....right.  The cupcakes didn't rise quite normally and they dropped in the middle while cooling.  Thankfully I had a backup recipe that involved a cake mix, and that worked beautifully!  One of my new favorite blogs, Homemade By Holman, had this recipe along with a cream cheese icing recipe and they did not disappoint!! 

Margarita Cupcakes
Recipe from Homemade by Holman, (slightly adapted by Amy's New Kitchen for high altitude)
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

1 box white cake mix

1 cup margarita mix

1/4 cup tequila

1 Tbsp orange juice

3 large egg whites

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp flour
Zest of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 muffin tins with 24 liners.  There is no need to spray the liners-the cupckes don't stick to the liners.  Mix margarita mix, tequila, and OJ in a separate bowl.  Add cake mix to your stand mixer bowl, along with the egg whites, oil, flour and margarita/tequila/oj mixture.  Beat on low until all ingredients are blended together, then continue to mix on medium-high for 2 more minutes until mixture thickens slightly.  Add lime zest and mix on medium approx 10 seconds.

 

Spoon batter into muffin liners, filling each 1/2-2/3 full.  Make sure there is an even amount in each liner.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through cooking.  When a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean-they're done!  Remove from oven and let cool approx 5 minutes in the pan then remove. 

 

 

Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe from Homemade by Holman
Yield: enough icing for 24 cupcakes
 
Ingredients for Icing:
8 oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Lime juice of 1 lime (from the zested lime from your cupcakes)
4 cups powdered sugar
4 drops green food coloring
Sprinkles, lime zest, lime wedges for decoration


Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Add lime juice and beat until combined.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated each time.  Add food coloring one drop at a time until the icing is the color you prefer.  Pipe or spread icing onto fully cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles, lime wedges, or lime zest.  *Refrigerate cupcakes in an air-tight container if not serving immediately and bring to room temperature a couple hours prior to serving.
 

 
I knew these were going to be a big hit when Jeff tried the first one and gobbled it down.  Then he says-that is my new favorite cupcake!!  He loved that there was an actual 'flavor' to these cupcakes instead of another chocolate, vanilla or yellow cupcake....boring!
 
I also loved this recipe because I went out and bought a piping bag and tips-and we had lots of fun making these cupcakes cute.  I am no expert cupcake decorator though.  I guess I will have to make more cupcakes until I improve.  ;)