Mexican Inspired Cupcakes

I came up with these 3 cupcakes (lime, mexican chocolate and tres leches) for our upcoming ward party. They are simple recipes so that I wouldn't scare off anyone. They all should be delicious though. The lime cupcake should look familiar to you Mer. I thought you lime pie would make for a fun frosting. Enjoy.

Lime Cupcakes (easy)

1 box white cake mix

2 limes

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 container cool whip (normal size)

1. Mix cake as directed on box, add zest of limes. Bake as 24 cupcakes. Cool.

2. Mix together lime juice from limes and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in cool whip. Let chill until slightly firm and then pipe or spread over cupcakes. Refrigerate.

3. Garnish with lime zest if desired.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes (intermediate)

1 box chocolate cake mix

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

2 cups heavy cream

1. Make cake as directed, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla. Bake as 24 cupcakes.

2. Heat cream on stove until bubbles form at the edge. In a bowl mix together chocolate chips and cinnamon. Pour cream over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until cool and then whip until it is frosting texture.

3. Frost cupcakes and garnish with sprinked cinnamon if desired.

Tres Leches Cupcakes (slightly difficult)

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cup sugar

6 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup coconut milk

2 cup lightly toasted coconut

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating until all the yellow disappears. Add the vanilla.

3. Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.

Fill liners ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. While cupcakes are still warm, stir together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and the coconut milk. Poke several holes in the top of each of the warm cupcakes with a wooden skewer or toothpick. Pour the milk mixture over each cupcake while they are still warm, filling each hole. Top with toasted coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Chicken Fajita Marinade

1/4 C Olive Oil

1 t Grated Lime Rind

2 1/2 T Fresh Lime Juice

2 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 1/2 t Ground Cumin

1 t Salt

1/2 t Dried Oregano

1/2 t Fresh Ground Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 14 oz. Can Chicken Broth

apple caramel flip tart.

this sticky tart recipe is baked upside down with pastry on top, then flipped right side up before serving.

1 T butter

1/4 t ginger

1/4 t cinnamon

1/2 cup caramel or butterscotch sauce

3 to 4 large apples, peeled & wedged

2 to 3 t cornstarch

1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed

{or homemade pastry if you're feeling ambitious}

preheat oven to 400. over medium heat, melt butter in a 10 in non-stick oven-proof frying pan. add spices & stir until fragrant. Add caramel sauce & stir until bubbly. toss apples with cornstarch, then add caramel. stir and turn apples to evenly coat. gently simmer until apples soften & sauce is very thick, 8 - 10 minutes.

if apples are super juicy or caramel sauce is quite runny, use full amount of cornstarch to thicken.

roll pastry into a 12 in circle. arrange pastry over apples in frying pan. roll under overhanging pastry & tuck under between apples and pan. bake until pastry is puffy & golden, 25-30 minutes.remove & let stand 10 minutes. place large plate over frying pan & quickly flip over onto plate.

yum!

pie plate method: if you don't have an oven-safe frying pan, follow above directions to cook apple mixture, but transfer into generously buttered pie plate to bake.