ever have one of those days where you come home & just need a drink?  or a cupcake?

or both?

you’re welcome.

makes about 24 cupcakes

FOR THE CUPCAKES
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 limes, zested & juiced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2-4 tablespoons tequila

FOR THE FROSTING
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites
pinch fleur de sel (or other coarse salt)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4 tablespoons tequila
lime zest & fleur de sel for garnishing

1. preheat the oven to 375°.  line 2 cupcake pans with liners.  {i guess sometimes they call them muffin pans.  but in this house, those pans have never made a muffin.}  combine the flour, baking powder & salt in a medium bowl & stir together with a fork.

2.  in the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the butter & sugar on medium high until light & fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.  add the lime zest, juice & vanilla.  turn the speed down to low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients & beat until just combined, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk, beating until just combined.  continue by adding half of the remaining dry ingredients, then the rest of the buttermilk & finally, the last of the dry ingredients, beating just a bit between each addition.

3.  pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full.  bake for 20-24 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.  when the cupcakes have cooled, reach for that extra tequila.  if it’s disappeared in the meantime, go ahead & pour some more in a small dish.  brush the cooled cupcakes with the desired amount.

4.  to make the frosting, combine the sugar, egg whites & salt in a heatproof bowl & set over a pot of simmering water.  heat until the temperature reaches 160° & the sugar has dissolved, whisking frequently the entire time.

5.  transfer the sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  beat on medium high until the mixture has cooled & stiff peaks have formed.  it’ll take about 8 minutes or so.

6.  reduce the speed to medium & add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well between each addition.  if the mixture ever becomes soupy & curdled looking, turn the speed back up to medium high & beat until it becomes thick & smooth again.  it may take 5 minutes, or more, but it’ll come back around.  once all the butter is incorporated, add in the lime juice & desired amount of tequila.  mix until fully incorporated & smooth, once again.

7.  frost the cooled cupcakes as desired & top with a pinch of lime zest & salt.

from annie’s eats