Anyone ready for some warm weather, sun, sand and margaritas! Well, sorry if you live in Chicago or anywhere else in February’s deep freeze. But, you can continue to dream, or go to Cabo like me! As for the margaritas, eat em’! How about some Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes with a lime sea salt sprinkle? Um, yes!
I created these delicious margarita cupcakes for my friend’s birthday. We are heading to Cabo to celebrate the joyous occasion and in the spirit of our trip I wanted to create these delicious little numbers to get us all in that vacation state of mind!
I love a good birthday celebration. Those who know me, know I especially love my birthday celebration. I think you should take a birthday month! Life is short, celebrate your birthdays and eat cake for a month! Anyway, my friend’s birthday is in January, so not the best month with all the cold and snow. But we had anticipation to get us through. We would be lounging on a beach in a mere month. Plus, I brought these margarita cupcakes for her birthday brunch to get us in the mood! They are delicious, light, bright and elicit summer and beaches in every bite. Almost like you were in Mexico, almost. But hey I am there now! Sorry for rubbing it in, just make these cupcakes and you’ll be transported!
Another good thing about getting a little more mature (you like that? mature, not older 🙂 ) is you have extra resources to make your birthdays a bit more extravagant. I am thinking when I get as mature as my friend, I should do Vancouver or Tahoe or what the Hell, Greece! But I have a few more years until I’m there!
Back to the strawberry Margarita cupcakes, they are light, moist, and refreshing! The Swiss meringue buttercream is made with fresh strawberries, lime juice and of course tequila! The lime/sea salt sprinkle on top balances it all out perfectly!
So pretty too!
So, if you are stuck in the cold, whip these sweet reprieves up and wish you were me on the beach!! Just kidding, eat these and think in just a few more months the sun will be shining, and you’ll be in your jorts sipping on an ice-cold drink. Until then, eat cupcakes and stay warm!
- For the Cupcakes:
- 1⅔ cups cake flower
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. lime zest
- ¼ cup light tequila
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter – room temp
- ¼ cup Mascarpone – room temp
- For the Buttercream:
- 5 egg whites
- 4 sticks unsalted butter - room temp cut into pieces
- 1½ cups of sugar
- ½ tsp. of salt
- 8oz. carton of strawberries
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 4 tbsp. tequila Blanco
- Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients and whisk to combine, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the mascarpone and beat until combined.
- Beat the egg whites until slightly foamy. Add to the butter sugar mixture in three pours. Beat after each addition until incorporated.
- Combine the milk, tequila, vanilla and lime juice, stir to combine.
- Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add half of the wet mixture and combine. It will curdle some, that’s ok. Add another third of the dry and mix. Then add the rest of the wet mixture and combine. Last, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
- Add the lime zest and stir to incorporate.
- Using an ice-cream scoop or about ⅓ cup, fill each cupcake liner ⅔rds full. Gently even out tops with offset spatula or knife.
- Bake on middle rack of the oven for 16 to 18 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack. Then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
- For the buttercream:
- Cut the greens off the strawberries and cut in half. Place in the bowl of food processor with S blade. Add the tequila and lime juice. Process until smooth. Pour through fine mesh strainer into a bowl and set aside.
- Place egg whites, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl over medium saucepan with about an inch of simmering water on the stove top.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Should take about 10 minutes. You can tell when it’s done by rubbing a small amount of the mixture between your fingers. If there is no graininess, it’s done.
- Remove bowl from double boiler and attach to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and your butter slowly a piece at time. Mixture will eventually curdle but keep mixing until smooth and shiny.
- Next add your strawberry/tequila lime mixture and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
- Decorate cooled cupcakes as desired and top with lemon/sea salt sprinkle.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Enjoy!
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