Cupcakes!

I have not delved into the world of Cake and Cupcake design yet...BUT, that doesn't mean my cupcakes don't taste DELISH!  So I know it's a June, but here are a couple cupcakes I made for Easter for a family gathering. I surprised myself I must say!

Key Lime Cupcakes! (1 dozen)
1C All Purpose (AP) Flour
3/4C Self-Rising Flour
1/2 C (1Stick) Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
2 Large eggs
1 1/4C Sugar
3/4C of Fresh Lime Juice- I squeeze about half a small bag of key limes
2T finely grated lime zest
3/4C Buttermilk

Frosting:
1 8oz package of room temperature Cream Cheese
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
1T finely grated lime zest
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and line your cupcake pans with cupcake foil.
Mix both flours in a bowl and set aside. In a separate large bowl beat butter until smooth. Add the sugar to the butter and beat to blend. Beat in the eggs into he butter sugar mixture one at a time, then add the lime juice and lime zest. (you can add green food coloring at this point to make your cupcakes green!). Add in the flour mixture in sections alternating with the buttermilk. Fill cupcake liners

Bake cupcakes about 20-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Frosting:
Blend all ingredients together
ENJOY!

Mine came out yellow because I did not add food coloring

Sweet Potato Cupcakes!! (2 dozen)

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 (16-oz.) can mashed sweet potatoes or 2-3 small sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
2/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting

Heat oven to #50 degrees, Place foil baking cups in cupcake pans
 Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sweet potato mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.  Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove immediately from pans, and cool 50 minutes to 1 hour or until completely cool. Spread cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.
ENJOY!

  Sources:
bon appetit
Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2007