Love and Margarita Cupcakes

First, I have the best husband in the world.

Lack of sleep. Rough week. He showed up with flowers. And a card.

I swear HE is the angel from God, not the other way around.

I love you P.

So I'm sitting at work the other day and decided I needed to make some special cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo. I know, at work. But hey, I get some of my best ideas while I'm there!! Don't hate.

I toyed with the idea of a cinnamon cupcake with some kind of caramel frosting. Or possibly a tres leches cupcake but wasn't sure what kind of frosting. So I consulted with my work "mom" and good friend Irene. "What about those margarita cupcakes?". Oh heck YEAH.

One problem - I don't have tequila.

Yeah buddy - now I do. Thanks friend!!

Not only did I decide to make these fabulous cupcakes but I decided to make them completely vegan. Totally. And I did.

First I had to make vegan buttermilk. Yes people - it can be done!! The secret, from the things I have read, is protein. The milk you use has to have protein so that means that although I love almond milk I can't use it. However, soy milk will work.

And lemons.

It's 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for a cup of soy milk.

Since I only needed 3/4 of a cup I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. I mixed this before I started the cupcakes and let it sit and "curdle". You know that word just sounds gross. UGH. Anyway - let it sit.


Margarita Cupcakes
(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup sugar or 1 cup Splenda
4 oz So Delicious coconut yogurt - plain
zest and juice of 1 1/2 limes
2 tablespoons tequila
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegan buttermilk

This recipe makes 12 and I wanted 18 so I multiplied the recipe. I got 18 beautiful cupcakes!!

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and then sift.

Cream the butter and sugar together.
Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the yogurt and mix thoroughly.
Add the lime zest, lime, vanilla and tequila.

The mixture looks a little "curdled" (there's that word again - ugh). But it will start to look better - I promise!
Alternately, starting with the flour mixture, add the flour, then half of the buttermilk, flour, buttermilk and flour.

See how the soy milk looks a little curdled?

Pretty batter.

Pretty batter makes pretty cupcakes. And yummy cupcakes. They need frosting.
Before frosting the cupcakes brush the cupcakes with a little tequila. A little.


Lime Margarita Frosting

1 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon tequila

Creams the shortening and powdered sugar. Add the lime juice and tequila. I added a very tiny drop of lime green coloring gel. It gave the frost that light lime color. Beautiful.

The cupcakes turned out a little dense. But they were SO good. I sprinkled them with some large sugar crystals and a little wedge of lime. Cute!!

So Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Hugs & kisses.....