Mini Margarita Cupcakes

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Grated lime zest from 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup tequila

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another small bowl or 2-cup-capacity liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

Place the sugar and lime zest in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, and rub the lime zest into the sugar with your fingers until sugar is fragrant.


Add the butter, and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very light.


Beat in the lime juice, and then add one-third of the flour mixture. Continue to beat on medium speed.

Beat in half of the egg-milk mixture, and then add half of the remaining flour mixture.

Add the rest of the milk and eggs and then the rest of the flour mixture.

Continue beating for another 2 minutes.


Using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoon capacity), add two flat scoops of batter to each cupcake cup.


Bake cupcakes for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through, until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean and cupcakes bounce back when touched lightly.

Transfer pan to cooling rack, and when cupcakes are cool enough to handle, remove them from the pan, and place them on rack to cool completely. Re-line the pan with cupcake papers, and scoop and bake remaining batter.


Once cupcakes have cooled, brush them lightly with tequila.


Tequila-Lime Frosting (adapted from Flour)

Ingredients

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons tequila
2 teaspoons lime juice
Light green sanding sugar (optional)
Green and white paper straws, cut in half-inch lengths (optional)
Thin slices of lime, cut in wedges (optional)

Preparation

In a small saucepan (that your stand mixer bowl can fit in without touching the water), simmer about 1 inch of water. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk together the granulated sugar and egg whites. Place the bowl over the simmering water, and heat, whisking occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot to the touch and sugar seems dissolved.

Place the bowl on the stand mixer, and using whip attachment, whip on medium-high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, or until mixture becomes a light, white meringue and bowl is cool to the touch.

Reduce speed to medium, and add the butter a few chunks at a time. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the butter is fully incorporated.

Add the confectioners' sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla, and continue to beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and satiny.

With the mixer running on medium speed, trickle in the tequila and lime juice, and continue beating until frosting is smooth.


Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes.


If desired, top each cupcake with a sprinkling of light green sanding sugar, a paper straw, and a lime wedge.