Lovely Lime Cupcakes

Today’s wedding cupcake was actually a last minute addition to the lineup. 

I thought I had the cupcake menu figured out when I went into my reader last week and found a recipe for Margarita Cupcakes over at Good Things Catered. 

I am a sucker for anything citrus so I knew I had to try them.  Their test run proved to be highly successful and they made the final cut! 

  

My only concern with them was the name – Margarita Cupcakes.  Even though there is no alcohol in them I was afraid the mere mention of something alcoholic might scare the mainly Mormon crowd away.  So they were renamed  Lovely Lime Cupcakes.

 

I think that was a good move because they proved to be the most popular cupcake of the evening! 

The cream cheese frosting held up great in the heat.  Their light, refreshing lime flavor proved to be popular on that hot, hot evening.

I loved how pretty the lime zest looked in the frosting and the little slice of fresh lime was a pretty topper.

 

They were the perfect compliment to the lemon, banana, chocolate cherry and brown sugar cupcakes.

 

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp instant milk powder

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 C sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 C margarita mix (or any basic sweet and sour mixer)

5 egg whites, at room temperature

4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

2 C powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, instant milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light (about 3 mins).

Beat in the vanilla extract, then margarita mix.

Reduce the speed to low and beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the cupcake molds.

Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer combine cream cheese, butter, lime juice, and zest, vanilla extract and beat on high until light and fluffy.

Slowly add in salt and sugar mixing until combined thoroughly.

Place bowl in fridge until cupcakes are cooled and ready to frost.

Once cupcakes have cooled completely, remove icing from fridge, frost, and decorate to your liking.

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Popularity: 13% [?]

Tagged as: cupcakes, dessert, lovely lime cupcakes, margarita cupcakes