Mojito Cupcakes

Here is the stand. I should have gotten a better closer picture. Two of my favorites mojiots and cupcakes. These were a little dry, next time I will add more Rum, the lime on top helps the dryness and it looks super cute!

 Thanks to Two Peas Blog for this great find.

Mojito Cupcakes with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

 For the cake:
Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place paper cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin tin, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon of rum (we used Captain Morgan’s Spice Rum) and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer or with a stand mixer, mix together 1 cup of room-temperature butter and 2 cups of sugar. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, and add 4 large eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add half of the buttermilk mixture and mix for another minute. Add another third of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add the remainder of the buttermilk mixture, and mix for another minute until combined. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients  and mix for a minute until the batter is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated.
Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes, then test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, they’re done. If not, bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before poking holes in them with a skewer or toothpick. Spoon the rum syrup (recipe below) over the warm cupcakes and let them soak it up. Let them cool completely before frosting (recipe also below).

For the rum syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of butter over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. When the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat. Carefully add 1/4 cup of rum and mix until incorporated. Add the zest of 1 lime and 3 sprigs of fresh mint, and let the syrup infuse for 5 minutes before spooning over the cupcakes. Let the syrup cool on the cupcakes completely before frosting.

For the frosting: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend together 8 ounces of cream cheese, 2 cups of confectioners sugar, 1 Tablespoon of lime juice and a couple of drops of green food coloring (if desired). Mix until well blended. Smooth on cooled cupcakes.

xoxo,
Mrs. J