Alcoholic Cupcakes

Here are 2 recipes for different types of alcoholic cupcakes to ring in the summer with a little kick! Both are fruity, light, and perfect for any outdoor picnic! The first is what I call a Boozy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake, it’s mainly a strawberry cake with Pinnacle Whipped Vodka. The second is a Margarita Cupcake! It’s a vanilla base with hints of lime and tequila! Read the recipes below, hope you enjoy!

Boozy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake

Cake:

1. To start, follow the directions on the back of a Strawberry Cake Mix box. I used Pillsbury’s Moist Supreme Strawberry cake mix, but any similar brand will work.

2. Once the batter is complete,  add 2 shots of Pinnacle Whipped Vodka and mix well.

3. Pour the batter into paper lined cupcake tins, and bake as directed on the cake mix box. Once the cupcakes are finished baking,  make sure the cupcakes are fully cooked by poking the middle of one of the cupcakes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out cleans, the cupcake is finished backing!

4. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and out of the cupcake pan, and let cool.

5. While the cupcakes are cooling. Start on your icing!

Icing:

1. You’ll need any 12 ounce jar of vanilla flavored icing. I used Betty Crocker’s Whipped Vanilla Icing, but again, any similar brand will work. I personally like to do my mixing  in the icing container so I don't dirty another bowl, but feel free to scoop the icing out and mix in a separate bowl if you need!

2. Add 1 shot of the Pinnacle Whipped Vodka to your vanilla  icing, and mix well .

3. Next, cut  about 1 cup of strawberries into very fine pieces and add to the icing mix. I kept adding strawberries until the strawberry flavor that I wanted was there but not overpowering. Feel free to add as many or as few as you’d like, but remember that the cake mix is strawberry flavored as well.

4. You may find that your icing has turned runny and watery. After adding the extra liquid from the vodka, and the juice from the strawberries, this is expected to happen. If your icing ends up too watery, add a small amount of confectioners sugar to thicken it up.You won’t want to leave the icing watery, or you’ll have a hard time icing and eating the cupcakes!

5. Now time to ice the cupcakes! I find it easiest to scrape the icing into a plastic bag.and make sure it’s sealed well. I then cut one of the bottom corners of the bag off, just leaving a wide enough hole for the icing to be squeeze from. Push all the icing to the whole and lightly squeeze the icing out. I do this in a circle motion around the outside of the cupcake, working from the outside to the center.

Margarita Cupcakes

Cake:

1. To start, follow the directions on the back of a plain White Cake Mix box. I used Pillsbury’s Moist Supreme Classic White cake mix but any brand will work.

2. Once the batter is made, add 1 shot of Tequila and mix well. I used Jose Cuervo Tequila because I had it around the house, but any brand or variety will work just as well.

3. Next, zest 1 lime into the cake batter.  Then, squeeze the juice of 2 limes into the batter, and mix well.

4. Pour the batter into paper line cupcake trays and bake the cupcakes as directed on the cake  mix box. Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooked as stated in the recipe above.

5. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and out of the pan, and let cool.

6. While the cupcakes are cooling, start your icing!

Icing:

1.  You’ll need any 12 ounce jar of vanilla flavored icing. I used Betty Crocker’s Whipped Vanilla Icing, but again, any similar brand will work.

2. Zest 1 lime into the icing container and mix well.

3. Add 2 drops of green food coloring to the icing to give it a light green color. This way your cake and icing are not both the same color.  

4. If the dye made your icing  too watery, similar to how we did in the previous recipe, add a small amount of confectioners sugar to thicken it up.

5 Now time to ice the cupcakes! As I did for the last recipe, I find it easiest to scrape the icing into a plastic bag.and make sure it’s sealed well. I then cut one of the bottom corners of the bag off, just leaving a wide enough hole for the icing to be squeeze from. Push all the icing to the whole and lightly squeeze the icing out. I do this in a circle motion around the outside of the cupcake, working from the outside to the center.

TADA!!! Two summer cupcakes that are perfect for any summer picnic!