Labor Day Fiesta and Margarita Cupcakes

Margarita Cupcakes

A Cup of Sugar...A Pinch of Salt

My friends and I will be celebrating this lovely three day weekend with a long standing tradition: Cinco de Septiembre. This annual fiesta celebrates the births of a couple close friends from college and consists of skip and go naked's and lots of tequila. Clearly, by those two alcoholic combinations alone, I'm in for an exciting weekend, but I'm thinking my contribution to the festivities will be something rather necessary during heavy drinking: sugar-filled, carbo-loaded cupcakes! And what's more appropriate for a fiesta than margarita cupcakes? Luckily I came upon this recipe recently and finally have a reason to try it. Can't wait to tell you all how it goes! Hope your Wednesdays have been lovely! xx

Margarita Cupcakes
A Cup of Sugar...A Pinch of Salt

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Zest and juice of 1 1/2 limes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

To Brush the Cupcakes
1 to 2 tablespoons tequila

For the Tequila-Lime Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
Pinch of coarse salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry, it will all come back together) Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a toothpick shows only moist crumbs attached.

Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.

To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes and garnish.