Sugarcoated: Margarita Cupcakes

Tomorrow is the 5th of May. You should drink a margarita. Or you could eat one.

I ate two.

These cupcakes take me to place I'd much rather be... Like the beaches of Mexico or a speedboat in Aruba. I need to win the lottery. Yesterday.

Do yourself a favor and add these boozy buddies to your Cinco De Mayo festivities. I can't tell you how much they taste like an actual marg. It's retarded.

My neighbor, who is blessed with having the majority of my baked goods end up on her doorstep described these cupcakes as "stupid good". She added, "I'd like to go back in time and eat it again." I don't think I've received a better compliment. Me thanks you neighbor friend :)

It's true though. They are ridiculously, stupidly good. The sharpness of the tequila comes pouring out the minute you bite into this cake. And the tequila lime frosting? Oh please, this stuff is boss. It's sweet and tangy and positively tantalizing.

Start your weekend right with a dozen of these. Please and thank you.

(recipe from Brown Eyed Baker)

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Zest and juice of 1½ limes (I used a little more. Maybe about two limes. One large, one small.)
2 tablespoons tequila
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk

1 to 2 tablespoons tequila (to brush on the cupcakes)

The How To:

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

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry, it will all come back together.)

6. 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.

7. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 23-25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pan at the halfway point. Mine were in the oven for 23.5! ;)

8. 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.

Tequila Lime Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¾ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
Pinch of coarse salt

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, if desired, with lime zest, an additional sprinkling of salt and a lime wedge.