Mojito Cupcake

Following on from the last post, this is the second flavour of cocktail cupcake - Mojito!

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Mojito Cupcakes

A mojito cocktail is the perfect summer drink with its refreshing combination of mint and lime... why not make it the perfect summer cupcake? 

Makes about 12 cupcakes

You will need:

For the cupcakes:

• 110g/4oz margarine, softened
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• Zest of 1 lime

For the icing:

• 140g/5oz butter, softened
• 280g/10oz icing sugar, plus a little more as required
• Juice of 1 lime
• A few drops of mint flavouring (work to taste as different brands have different flavour intensities)
• Green food colouring as desired
• 3 tbsp white rum

For the garnish:

• Straws
• Green sugar crystals
• White fondant icing
• Green fondant icing
• Sprig of  mint (optional)

Method:
 

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale.
3. Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
4. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency.
5. Fold in the lime zest and mix thoroughly.
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.
7. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean.
8. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

Fondant Lime Wedge Garnish:

This needs to be made early so that it can set before used to decorate - a good time is while the cakes are cooking.

1. Take some of the white icing and combine it with a little of the green to make a pale green colour - this will form the inside of the lime wedge.
2. Take this newly formed colour and roll it into a cylinder
3. Roll out the green icing into a layer about 0.5cm thick.
4. Brush the pale cylinder formed in stage 2 with water and roll along the green icing until entirely covered - you should now have a single cylinder with an outer green and inner pale layer.
5. Cut the messy ends off to form a neat cylinder shape.
   
6. Slice the cylinder with a sharp knife into 0.5cm thick slices.
7. Cut each slice through the centre to create  half moon shapes.
   
    
8. Finally, using a cocktail stick, press in detail to the pale green centre to make your lime wedge more recognisable.
9. Now leave the wedges until they are firm, then they can be used to garnish. 

Icing:

1. For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Then add the remaining icing sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. (If may appear a little dry at this stage, do not worry as there will be more liquid added in the upcoming stages).
3. Add the food colouring and mix until well combined.
4. Add the lime juice, rum and mint flavouring, mix well until combined. (At this point taste the icing to check the balance of flavours and adjust by adding more of anything if necessary).
5. The icing will now be quite runny, so slowly add icing sugar, until the mixture is thick, smooth and creamy.
6. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiralling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.

Decoration:

1. Sprinkle the coloured sugar over the icing.
2. Cut the straws down to a miniature size and gently press them into the icing.
3. Finally, garnish with the fondant lime wedge
4. You may like to garnish also with a sprig of mint.

Love, Chloe xx

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