Mojito Cupcakes

Though I made a variety of cupcakes based on tropical and fruity drinks for my birthday, I'm not really a fan of the actual drinks. However, if I am opting for a fruity drink, it's going to be a mojito. They're tart from the lime, spicy from the mint, and a little sweet, but not in your face sweet. 

For these cupcakes, I started with a simple yellow cake base and added lime zest and juice. Then I made a rum and lime wash for soaking the cake, and finally topped it with a minty cream cheese icing. I think what really made these cupcakes taste so fresh and spot-on mojito was the fresh mint in the icing! I'll definitely be making these again.

Mojito Cupcakes

cupcakes:

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 c. sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

1/3 c. dark rum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 2 limes

Scant 1 c. buttermilk

3 cups AP flour

Preheat oven to 350*

Cream together butter and sugar over medium speed for 3-4 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scrape down sides if necessary.

Turn mixer on low speed, add rum, vanilla, salt, baking powder and soda.

Add lime juice and zest to a measuring cup, add buttermilk to reach 1 cup.

Alternately add flour and buttermilk-lime mixture, ending with flour.

Mix on low speed until batter just comes together and flour is absorbed.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, add batter to fill cups 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.

Rum-Lime Wash:

1/4 c. dark rum

Juice of 1 lime

Mix together rum and lime juice, use a pastry brush and lighly apply to each cupcake top, ice immediately.

Mint Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, at room temperature

2 lbs. confectioners sugar 

1/4 cup mint leaves, minced

2 tsp. rum

1-4 tbsp. cream or milk

Cream together butter and cream cheese, add mint and rum.

On low speed, slowly add in confectioners sugar, if frosting gets too thick, add milk or cream 1 tbsp. at a time, but be sure to add all sugar.

Ice cupcakes immediately, or keep frosting refrigerated until using.