Cupcake Hero Bakers Choice- Lime Cupcakes with Cranberry-Lime Filling and Marshmallow Frosting

This month's Cupcake Hero marks the 1-year anniversary! To celebrate Laurie decided that Cupcake Hero needed it's own site, check it out HERE. Now you can post your entry directly to the site and see everyone else's entry as well.
This month's theme was Bakers Choice. That means we could choose at least 2 or more of the past 12 themes and go with it.
I choose Lime, Cranberry and Marshmallow. It might sound like a wierd combination, but it works out well. I was inspired by one of my favorite drinks, which combines cranberry juice, lime juice and zest and a little carbonated water. It is sour and delightful. So, I went with a lime flavored cupcake, a cranberry-lime filling and Dorie's marshmallow frosting.
The outcome was delicious. This is a light, tangy cupcake with a fluffy frosting. Perfect if you ask me, but I am not the judge!





Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

3 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoon chopped lime zest

What You'll Do...

1. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.

2. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each.

4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.

5. Measure out milk and lime juice/zest together.

6. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.

7. Add about one third the milk/lime juice mixture and beat until combined

8. Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.

9. Scoop into cupcake papers about half to three-quarters full (depending on whether you wantflat or domed cupcakes).

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cranberry-Lime Filling by Mary Ann

1 cup 100% juice Cranberry-Pomegranate Juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp lime juice

2 Tbls cornstarch

1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

1/2 - 1 tsp grated lime zest

Combine juice, water, sugar, lime juice, cornstarch, and dried cranberries in a small saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking or stirring occasionally. Boil, until begins to thicken, then remove from heat, stir in zest, and let cool.

Marshmallow Frosting from Baking: From My Home to Yours

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)

1 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.
Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites. When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer.

If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable -- don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting.