Margarita Cupcakes

I've seen countless margarita cupcakes, and have been wanting to make them for a long time, so my birthday cupcake extravaganza seemed like the perfect opportunity! I decided to try out this recipe I found in Rachael Ray's magazine that I have had ripped out for a very long time! I used the cupcake recipe, but made my own lime curd filling and tequila-lime butter cream. The cupcakes were pretty standard, somewhat dense, but that was good because you need a more sturdy cupcake when you fill it. I've never made a cupcake that calls for both butter and oil, but I think the added bit of oil makes these more moist. I had more batter than necessary to fill 24 cups, I think I probably could have gotten 30 decent sized cupcakes.

Margarita Cupcakes

adapted from Everyday February 2009

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

1 c. granulated sugar

4 eggs at room temperature, plus 1 white

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. gold tequila

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 2 miles

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350*

Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Turn speed to low, add eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.

Add oil, mix well.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1 tsp. salt.

In another measuring cup, mix together milk, lime juice and vanilla extract.

On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter, starting and ending with flour.

Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full, bake for 25-30 minutes, until set and slightly golden.

Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes in muffin tin, invert onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Lime Curd Filling:

1 cup lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

3 tbsp. cornstarch, sifted

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp. butter

In a heavy bottom saucepan, mix lime juice, sugar and salt, heat to a simmer.

In a small dish, whisk together egg yolk and cornstarch.

Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the lime juice while whisking quickly.

Continue to whisk and heat mixture over medium until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

Remove from heat, add butter and whisk until it melts and mixture is smooth.

Refrigerate until using. 

Tequila Lime Buttercream:

2 sticks of butter, room temperature

2 lbs. powdered sugar

1/4 cup tequila

Zest of 2 limes

pinch of salt

Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat until light.

Add half the tequila, lime zest and salt, mix.

Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides as necessary. 

Continue to add sugar and tequila as necessary.