Margarita Cupcakes

***Blogger completely deleted this post from Thursday, So I've re-posted it***

These ended up tasting more like Key Lime Cupcakes. They were delicious and decadent!
I made these for Cinco De Mayo along with my mom's Carne Guisada with rice and beans. {recipes coming soon, I know I'm such a tease!} Remember, I live in Texas and any excuse to cook Mexican food, I'll take it!  I got this recipe from a new blog that I stumbled upon via Tasty Kitchen...Confections of a Foodie Bride
I did not use the buttercream recipe that was included with the recipe...I was in a hurry, and thought it was a simple buttercream, and realized it wasn't so I made a different one... 

A from-scratch cupcake and fun frosting inspired by our favorite cocktail.

Margarita Cupcakes

 

Ingredients 

For the Cupcakes

• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temp
• 3 limes, zested and juiced
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup tequila (or half tequila/half orange liqueur, optional)

Tequila-Lime Buttercream (my version)

• 2 sticks of butter same as 1 cup of butter, softened at room temp
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• the zest and juice of 1 lime combined

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
3. Add eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one.
4. Add lime zest and lime juice.
5. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.
6. Fill each muffin cup ~3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.
7. (Optional) While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with tequila or tequila/orange mixture.

Directions for Buttercream Frosting

1. Whip butter until creamy and fluffy.
   
2. {My buttercream rule: For every 1/2 cup of butter or 1 stick, I use about 2 cups of powdered sugar.}
   
3. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, I alternate with juice, I’m sorry I don’t measure, but it’s about 2 tablespoons. Beat well after each addition. Now you can add any color that you would like. I added a bit of yellow and green food coloring.

Yields: 24 Cupcakes

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride and Martha Stewart Living

Estimated time: 1 hour