Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

Well, if you didn't think I was a complete drunk before........ No, seriously. :) As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it out. I love cupcakes and these take the cake. They're pink, they have alcohol in them and the cosmo is pretty much my all time fave cocktail. Well, one of them anyways. These were a snap to whip up (be warned tho, lots of separate bowls will be used) and they're oh so pretty, aren't they?? The perfect treat for your next girl's night!!!



Cosmo Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
zest of one lime
2-4 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners. Mix together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine buttermilk, thawed concentrate and zest in another bowl. (You know I effing love cupcakes if I would make this many dirty dishes right?!?) Add in 1 cup each of the dry and wet mixtures alternately, beating on low until well mixed. Fill cups with batter 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan.


For glaze: (that's right, more dirty dishes!!!)

1/4 cup thawed cranberry juice concentrate
1/4 cup vodka (doesn't have to be top shelf as you're not drinking it..... unless you are)

Brush cupcakes with glaze while they're still slightly warm. When they're cooled completely, frost with lime-cointreau buttercream.....


Lime-Cointreau Buttercream

1/2 c butter
4 c powdered sugar
3 Tbsp Cointreau or triple sec.... same freakin thing as far as I'm concerned
juice from 1 large lime
2-4 drops red food coloring (supposed to make it pink not red)

Mix on high speed until fluffy and pipe onto cooled cupcakes! Garnish with a dusting of glittery pink sugar and a fresh lime wedge..... or you could take it a little further and get some of those sugared gummy limes. But I didn't do that. Anyways, hope you get the chance to try these. I think they were pretty fantastic!!!! I highly suggest mixing up a batch of these while listening to my swanky cocktail hour playlist!!!