Happy Birthday Cupcake Hero! Lime & Coconut Margarita Cupcakes
Last year, I somehow stumbled upon Laurie’s blog and saw the posting about Cupcake Hero. Of course I had to enter. The first theme was Lime. I made Vegan Margarita cupcakes that didn’t turn out so great. Well they tasted great, but didn’t look so good. They we’re somewhat gummy. I later learned that was from using lowfat soymilk.
Here we are one year later and CH has grown beyond anyone’s expectations! Be sure to check out the new website. I try to enter every month. I even won in July! It totally made my week 🙂
This month, to celebrate the first birthday of CH, the theme is Baker’s Choice. We have to choose two flavors from the past two months and use them both in the cupcake.
There is a place near us that has these amazing coconut & lime margaritas. They’re my absolute favorite. So I wanted to recreate this as a cupcake. AND, I’d have two themes: lime and alcohol. I realize this may not the most creative combination. So I wanted to get creative about how to make the cupcake.
I stumbled upon a recipe for lime meltaways and decided to combine that with the coconut cupcake and put margarita frosting on the top. I spent days contemplating how to make this cookie/cupcake combo… I started with a trial batch to see what worked best. I made 4 cupcakes. One had raw cookie batter on the bottom, one in the middle, one on top, and one with a baked cookie on the bottom (similar to the Oreo cupcakes).
So this is what my test cupcakes looked like when they came out of the oven. I had to taste each one of course to see how well the lime and coconut played together. I was pleasantly surprised that the baked cookie didn’t burn while the cupcake was baking over it. After taste testing my experimental cupcakes, I decided to bake the cookies, then put them under the raw cupcake batter. The cookies that were baked in the cupcakes didn’t bake through and the one on top just looked silly.
For the cookie recipe, see Lime Meltaways post. For the coconut cupcake recipe, check out when I made Pina Colada cupcakes. I went with a really sweet frosting to balance out the tartness of the fresh lime juice in the margarita that I brushed on top. I also needed a non-alcoholic frosting because my 13 year old sister was going to be at the party I was taking them to. I did brush the non-alcoholic ones with a little freshly squeezed lime juice.
Margarita2 parts tequila
2 parts freshly squeezed lime juice
1 part triple sec
Mix. Brush onto cooled cupcakes. Any remaining mixture can be poured over ice for your enjoyment 🙂
Lime Coconut Frosting1 stick of butter
powdered sugar
zest of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
couple drops of vanilla extract
Cream the butter. Add sugar to reach desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Add more sugar if consistency is too runny.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
these look so fun! i, too, am LI, but i carry lactaid with me everywhere… and jp licks makes a lactose free flavor 🙂
Lactaid is my best friend. I have spare pills in the car, in Hubby’s wallet, in my purse and desk. Can’t ever be too prepared! I have had their lactose free flavors and they’re quite tasty. I wish they had more than one a month though!
Ooooh. This looks too good. I’m gonna have to try that.
I love the idea of using the cone method for ice cream cupcakes. I hadn’t thought of that. That strawberry down the middle of the cupcake is so perfect! I’m so glad you entered again!
I wouldn’t be able to live without ice cream! Your cupcakes are beautiful. Good luck in the competition!!!
They look pretty! Love the photo of the cross section where you can see the strawberry.
~ingrid
Those cupcakes look scrumptious! Oh, and you’ve gotta try Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk Ice Cream! It’s rich and creamy, a lot like gelatto!
Thanks Vegiegail – I’ll have to check that out.
So cute! These are so pretty with the strawberry in the middle and they look delicious.
voted for your strawberry one..good luck!
gorgeous. love the inset strawberry. love the Neapolitan theme.
bethany@scoopalicious
I agree with you about the non-dairy ice creams available in stores. However, If you have an ice cream maker vegan chick-0-stick ice cream is unbelievably rich, creamy and delicious.
Here is the recipe http://couldntbeparve.blogspot.com/2008/09/chick-o-stick-ice-cream_04.html
Hey, these cupcakes sound awesome! I use to be Lactose Int., but I found the best cure ever & seriously have been L.I. cured for 7 years. I could not give up my dairy & use to take 3 Lactaid every time I ate.I heard about “Lactogen” on the radio on the way home from a trip. I would do anything to get rid of my L.I. so it was $90.00 at the time so I said what the heck I spent $200.00 a year on Lactaid. I was floored that it worked & 7 years later still no signs. I drink milk every morning, cheese everyday, & ice cream when ever. It retrains your body to except lactose, so for 42 days while you take it (a mix to drink with water) you have to stay away from all dairy & anything with dairy in it. I just went to the health food store during that time. I am sure you can find it on the web. Lactogen is the name
This is my second post, it erased my first. But for all you suffering with Lactose Int. try Lactogen it really works I have been cured for going on 7 years now. It was only $90.00 when I tried it & I was spending $200 a year on Lactaid at the time. I now can drink milk every morning, & eat cheese every day & ice cream when ever. It is not an on going thing you take it once for 43 days & that is it.