Mojito Cupcakes

This recipe is inspired by my boyfriend's roommate, Jeff. He regularly drank Mojitos and Pinojitos this summer, because his garden bore an abundance of mint. Jeff has quite the green thumb and is extremely generous with his vegetable bounty. It just makes sense to dedicate this delicious, refreshing dessert to him.

The recipe is adapted from two recipes, and requires creating the butter rum sauce while the cupcakes are baking. When soaking the cupcake, is it important to detach the liner from the cupcake to allow the rum sauce to seep into the bottom of the cakes. It is helpful to use the Reynolds Stay-Brite foil liners, as the liner detaches easily and retains an elegant shape. Paper liners are discouraged because they don't retain their shape when loosened, and regular foil tends to rip. Unfortunately, I was down in Florida when these cupcakes were made, and Stay-Brite liners were no where to be found. My mom found the lovely gold liners in the top picture at Sur La Table. (My mom also decorated the cupcakes above....don't they look great?!)

In the photo below, the Reynolds Stay-Brite liner is on the left, and the regular Reynolds foil on the right. Notice that the Stay-Brite wrapper almost appears as though it wasn't completely detached from the cupcake! The monkey patterned liner was love at first sight for this gal.

The Mojito cupcake consists of a rum soaked rum cake, a lime Italian Meringue Buttercream frosting and fresh mint leaves for garnish. This recipe yields about 24 cupcakes.

RUM CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dark rum
mint leaves

RUM SOAK INGREDIENTS

1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

LIME ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS

Meringue
5 egg whites
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (if not using a copper bowl)
2 ounces (1/4 cup) castor sugar

Syrup
8 ounces (1 cup) castor sugar
1/4 cup water

Butter, 1 lb., unsalted, and soft
1/4 cup lime curd or 1/2 tsp lime oil
2 tsp lime zest

DIRECTIONS

Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  1. Line cupcake tins with foil liners.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
  1. Beat in eggs and mix completely.
3. Whisk together flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Gradually beat flour into butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk and vanilla.
  1. Stir in dark rum and Triple Sec.
5. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tins and bake in 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
  1. Cakes are done when it lightly springs back after you touch it with your finger.
Rum Sauce
1. Melt butter in sauce pan, add water and sugar.
2. Stir together.
3. Boil 5 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
5. While cupcakes are still warm, use a regular teaspoon to drizzle rum sauce all over each cupcake.
  1. Loosen the liner to allow sauce to soak into the bottom.
  2. Use between 1-2 teaspoons per cake.
Frosting
1. Follow directions for Italian Meringue Buttercream frosting recipe included with the Car Bomb Cupcakes, except don't add the Jameson.
2. Whip lime curd or lime oil and zest into the frosting
3. Add additional zest if frosting isn't "limey" enough
4. If lime curd is used, cupcakes must be refrigerated. Please allow cupcakes to sit out for an hour prior to consumption
Assembly
1. Frost cupcakes
2. Add mint leaves for garnish