Margarita Cupcakes

Don't these just look absolutely yummy??? This is a picture that a friend of mine shared on the awesome Scrapchicks board...so I had to whip up a recipe for making them myself...I think I will bringning these to one of the weekend scrapbooking crops that I organize.

One change I would make from looking at the picture, instead of fresh lime slices on it, I would get the candy limes - you know the kind I am talking about? They are like jelly bean candies, without the hard shells.

Well, here is what I did and they came out pretty darned tastey even though they use a doctored up boxed cake mix instead of totally made from scratch!

White cake mix
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp lime zest
9 oz Margarita mix (such as Mrs. T's or Bacardi)
3 oz tequila
3/4 oz Grand Marnier
Mix it all together and bake in your muffin cups, just like normal cupcakes.

Let cool and then frost with: Lime Buttercream Icing

3 cups + 3 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lime juice

Add the butter, confectioner's sugar, salt, and lime juice to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the icing is fluffy. Add the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a 2D tip and ice the cupcakes.

Optional - Add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and a couple drops of the green food coloring to a food processor. Process until the sugar turns green. Spread the sugar onto a plate and let dry for 15 minutes. Sprinkle onto freshly-iced cupcakes, around the rim - to resemble a salt rimmed margarita glass. Add a cut down bendy straw and garnish with a candy lime slice and enjoy!