Disaronno & Ginger Ale Cupcakes

cupcakes at attention

My contribution to my house senior year of college was a bar.  It flipped.  It folded.  It fit it the back of a VW Golf.  I built it myself.  Its awesomeness led to many happy hours called “cocktail” and expanded our horizons of what was consumably delicious.  I think it was my housemate Carrie who first started us drinking Disaronno and ginger ale, a combination I had until that point avoided because it just sounded yucky. Admittedly, its pretty tasty.

Unfortunately, that half bottle of Disaronno that got packed up after graduation is still sitting untouched in my apartment as it has never occurred to me to drink it since (I guess some drinks are purely are situational, like my love of Blavod at the time).  So when I was looking for alcohol to pour into cupcakes, I decided to use it up.  My cupcake testers were dubious.  They gave me that one eyebrow cocked look that I get sometimes when I cook.  But they all gave it a thumbs up last night.  They’re pretty tasty.

Disaronno & Ginger Ale Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 5 oz (1/2 cup + 2Tbs) Disaronno or other Amaretto liquor (a standard shot glass is one ounce)
• 5 oz (1/2 cup + 2Tbs) ginger ale
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 tsp ground ginger

For the frosting:

(I use less sugar in my buttercream than usually recommended.  I find this makes the frosting creamier and richer tasting, but should be kept cool or refrigerated until served as a result.)

• 1  1/2 sticks butter (12 Tbs)
• 4-5 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 oz (2 Tbs) Disaronno or other Amaretto liquor
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• squeeze of lime (about 1 teas lime juice from aforementioned lime)
• candied ginger for garnish (optional, found in most supermarkets in the dried fruit/nut section)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, prepare batter according to package directions substituting the 1 1/4 cup water with the Disaronno and ginger ale.  Add lime zest and ground ginger.  Mix well.  Pour into cupcake tins, filling about 2/3rs of the way,  and place in oven.  Bake for 19-22 minutes until cupcakes spring back when touched.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting.  Using an electric hand mixer, cream butter and 1 cup confectioners sugar in a high sided bowl until fluffy.  Add Disaronno, vanilla extract, and lime juice.  Mix in remaining sugar, adding more if necessary to reach desired consistency.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.  Garnish with slices of candied ginger.  Eat.  Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

By Ellie