Cosmopolitan Cupcakes
Looking for a Cosmopolitan Cupcake recipe with real vodka that tastes like the cocktail? Look no further! Cranberry, orange, lime, and vodka come together to make one killer Cosmo cupcake!
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 501kcal
Equipment
- 2 Cupcake pans (24 cups total)
- 1 large cookie scoop (optional; to transfer cupcake batter to pans)
- 24 plastic pipettes (I used these martini glass-shaped pipettes)
- Small paring knife
Ingredients
Cosmo Cupcakes:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon lime extract
- ½ Tablespoon orange extract
- ½ Tablespoon cranberry extract (I usually have to buy this online)
- 2 Tablespoons lime zest (about 1 small lime - I recommend fresh but you can also buy it dried)
- 1 cup buttermilk (or substitute whole milk)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1-2 drops green food coloring if desired
Cosmopolitan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one package, softened)
- 1 cup butter (16 tablespoons or two sticks, softened)
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons vodka
- 1 teaspoon lime extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter (if using unsalted butter)
- 1-2 small drops pink food coloring
Cosmopolitan pipette filling + Decorations
- ¼ cup cranberry juice
- ¼ cup vodka
- ⅛ cup triple sec (or Cointreau; 1/8 cup = 2 Tablespoons)
- 24 lime slices (halves or quarters; whichever you prefer)
Instructions
Cosmopolitan Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃), and prepare 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside. (Melt and cool butter; you don’t want it to cook your eggs!)
- Combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar) in a large bowl, then combine cooled butter, eggs, flavor extracts & lime zest, milk, sour cream, and vodka in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Blend in food coloring if using.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. (Thick batter is normal! Using a large cookie scoop makes this an easy process.)
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set in the centers and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating. (This is a great time to make your frosting and pipette filling!)
Cosmopolitan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with vodka and lime/orange extracts until frosting reaches a pipeable consistency. (I recommend making the frosting on the thick side, so that the swirls hold their shape and the pipettes stay put.) Add food coloring and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
‘Shot Top’ pipette filling
- Combine cranberry juice, vodka, and triple sec in a small glass, and stir to mix well.
Noooow – onto the fun part!! Decorating!
- Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a closed star similar to the Wilton jumbo 1B). Pipe frosting in large swirls onto your cupcakes.
- Squeeze the air out of your pipettes, then submerge the open end into the pipette mix and allow them to fill. (I tipped mine back and forth a few times to get the air bubbles out so they'd be completely full.) Press a pipette into the frosting on each cupcake.
- Slice 24 lime wedges and press one into the frosting on top of each cupcake.
- Step back, give yourself a high-five, and admire your amazing cupcakes! When they’re ready to be eaten, squeeze the pipette to infuse the cupcake with your Costmopolitan cocktail mix – and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Note - a bit of recipe credit! I've modified significantly, but Two Sugar Bugs’ ‘Simply Vanilla Cupcakes’ was the inspiration for this cupcake base! Do yourself a favor and check out Tasia’s site; she is an amazing lady with a beautiful blog!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g