Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

This is an adaptation of cupcakes I made previously. Ever since I saw the previews for Sex and the City 2, I knew it needed to be a girly bad movie night and what bad movie night would be complete without cupcakes? Given the theme, they needed to be cosmopolitan cupcakes. Sadly, the movie turned out to be one of the worst movies (I can't think of a worse one at the moment) I've ever seen, but at least the cupcakes were good! The cake part turned out slightly dry ... maybe a little more oil next time? The frosting, however, was perfect (which is good because I used 8 eggs making it after breaking a yolk in the whites on the 4th egg the first time around ... arg!).

One year ago today: Lemon Yogurt Cake

Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

Ingredients
Cake Portion
1 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, separated
5 melted frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 tablespoon Cointreau
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line muffin tin with 12 muffin liners.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Beat in vegetable oil, egg yolks, cranberry juice, Cointreau and lime zest.
3. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using clean dry beaters, beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites.
4. Fill muffin tins with batter. Cook for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Soaking liquid
1/4 cup melted frozen cranberry concentrate
2 tbsp Cointreau
2 tbsp lime juice

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl.
2. Brush on cupcakes.

Cosmopolitan frosting
1 cup sugar
4 egg whites
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp Cointreau
1/4 cup melted frozen cranberry concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Place the stand mixer bowl over a simmering pot of water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk the sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees with a candy thermometer.
2. Place bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until the mixture is cool and holds stiff, glossy peaks (approximately 10 minutes).
3. Change to the paddle attachment and beat in one tablespoon of butter at a time on medium. The mixture might appear curdled but keep going, it will pull back together.
4. Add lime juice, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until the frosting reincorporates and is smooth and fluffy (approximately 10 minutes).