Friday Edition of Cupcake Cocktails

Happy Friday everyone! You have survived the week and only have a few hours left until the weekend is yours!! Last friday I posted a recipe for an oh-so-delish margarita cupcake (https://fontgirl.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/). This Friday however, I am all about the Strawberry Lemon Malibu Cupcake!

Enjoy the recipe and remember to eat responsibly 🙂

Strawberry Lemon Malibu Cupcakes

Photos by: http://www.iheartcuppycakes.com

Makes about 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For lemon cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) salted butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

For malibu  meringue buttercream
2 egg whites at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
12 tbsp (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
2 tablespoons Malibu Caribbean Rum, coconut flavor, to taste

For Strawberry Puree

15 Strawberries – 3 tbs of sugar – 2 tsp of lemon juice

 

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcakes—
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line pan with cupcake liners.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat until well-blended on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.

Fill each cupcake cup about two-thirds full and bake for about 17-22 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make buttercream—
Beat the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer with the whisk attachment until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat just before stiff peaks form.

Meanwhile, stir together the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and washing down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. When syrup reaches a boil, put your candy thermometer into it and continue boiling, without stirring, until it reaches about 238-242 degrees Fahrenheit.

Immediately remove from heat, and slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites, beating constantly at high speed and making sure to not pour directly on the side of the bowl. Beat meringue until the bowl is cool to the touch.

Change out your whisk for your paddle attachment and scrapes down the sides of the bowl. On medium speed, gradually add butter about two pieces at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added, but will come back together before beating is finished. If that doesn’t work, try chilling it a bit in case your meringue was too hot.) Finally, add the Malibu and mix thoroughly

To make puree—
Mash the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar together. Heat to a slow boil over medium heat. Let cool before you drizzle on cupcakes.

To assemble cupcake—
Pipe the Malibu frosting on each cupcake. Drizzle some strawberry puree on top. Garnish with a strawberry if desired.