Sunday, May 1, 2011

Cinco De Mayo Cupcakes


I wasn't sure what to do for Cinco De Mayo cupcakes.  I had heard spiced chocolate, tequila, margarita etc.....but for me Cinco De Mayo isn't Cinco De Mayo without Corona and lime. 

I had seen recipes for a beer buttercream but really wasn't sure I liked the idea.  Afterall, beer is bitter and buttercream is sweet.   I didn't want to put it in the cake either because I had planned to sprinkle the top with the green and red sprinkles and didn't want to make the buttercream lime.  Together with the white buttercream they signify the colors of Mexico.


I committed one act of sacrelige.  I used a box mix.  Now I don't usually do this but I've been swamped between orders and exams but I had to do a Cinco de Mayo cupcake.  Below is the recipe if you'd like to make it.


The sombreros are not edible.  I got them here A Bakers Place.

The cupcake is a vanilla cupcake infused with lime zest and lime juice topped with a Corona buttercream.

Cinco De Mayo Lime Corona Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice (fresh) < - I enhanced it a bit with key lime juice from a bottle

Buttercream

5 egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/4 tspn pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Corona
confectioner's sugar or flour to keep the buttercream from getting too liquidy

Mix the ingredients for the cupcakes and place in 12 liners.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Place Corona in saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes.  This enhances the flavor of the beer.   **Cool completely before adding to buttercream.

In a heat proof mixing bowl, add the egg whites and sugar.  Heat over simmering water and whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.  Place bowl on mixer with whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high until stiff peaks form.  Reduce speed to medium and add butter 1 tablespoon at a time until well incorporated.  Add vanilla.  

With paddle attachment place mixer on high and beat until buttercream becomes light and fluffy - about 5 minutes or so.  Reduce speed to medium and add the Corona.  If the buttercream appears to get too liquidy or lose it's fluffy-ness - add a little but of flour or confectioner's sugar until it begins to take on its former fluffy self.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and decorate.

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out or if I was even going to be able to taste the beer, but I was wrong.  You can most certainly taste it in the buttercream and the lime adds to it.  It was like eating a Corona with lime :)

9 comments:

  1. Wow, Corona buttercream?!? That is certainly original. These are so cute and festive! Great job!

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  2. So Cute!!! Where did you get the little hats from? I love them!

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  3. Thank you!

    Charlene there is a live link to A Bakers Place in the blog under the last photo. Click on it and it will take you to the sombreros :)

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  5. Do you have shop in ocala! I need these cupcakes in my life ;)

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  6. Kayla - no I don't have a storefront as of yet but take requests to bake. One day I hope to have a storefront.

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  7. I noticed a lot of your icing calls for 4 sticks of butter...is that correct? That is alot of butter...!

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  8. that's because it's not icing (which is confectioner's sugar mostly - 3 sticks of butter, 4 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar and 1/2 tspn vanilla) and I use an Italian Meringue Buttercream which calls for 4 sticks butter. Most true buttercream uses A LOT of butter....it is essentially mostly butter. If you're looking for a way to reduce the butter but get the same consistency then I recommend a vegan butter (I think there's one called Earth Balance). It works just as well. I give people the option of the buttercream or the confectioner's sugar. But if you google buttercream, most of them have at least 1lb of butter.

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  9. Well these are adorable! I love the sombreros! I made some of my own Cinco de Mayo cupcakes recently and decorated them to look like margarita glasses! Just wanted to share them in honor of the festivities!! :) http://www.littlelionbakedgoods.com/cinco-de-mayo-margarita-cupcakes/

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