Cupcakes X-otic

 
I had a thought this week.  That thought was: "you know what'd be delicious?  Vanilla cupcakes with strawberry filling and strawberry cream cheese frosting."  I decided I should make such cupcakes, but I would need both filling and something to flavor the frosting -- and naturally "flavoring" implies "liqueur."  However, unable to find any suitable strawberry liqueur at my favorite liquor store, and being intrigued by something called "X-Rated," I decided to wing it a little more than I had originally planned.  As a result, I've got  a new, tasty-licious recipe coming at you.

Cupcakes are a tweaked version of Williams-Sonoma Vanilla Cupcakes and frosting base from Love and Olive Oil.  In both cases, I halved the vanilla extract and added some X-Rated infused vodka, and for the frosting I halved the sugar as well.  A note on the filling: you want to find something that approximates the flavors of the X-Rated, which are blood orange, mango, and passion fruit.  I found something called Fruit Fusion fruit spread in a Peach, Mango, and Blood Orange flavor.  Also, I reproduced the recipes from their original sources below, but I don't follow all the very particular rules Williams-Sonoma gives for the cupcakes.  Pretty much if you mix everything together and it's not lumpy, you're good to go.  Also, you might worry that you are filling the cupcake-liners too full, but these cupcakes are rather dense and don't easily overflow.  Anyway, here's the recipe.

Cupcakes X-otic
Ingredients
Cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. X-Rated infused vodka
• 1/2 cup milk

Filling:

• 1/2 cup jam/preserve/"fruit spread"

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. X-Rated infused vodka
• Red food coloring (optional)

Directions
From Williams-Sonoma:
"Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and egg white one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla *and X-Rated*. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not overbeat.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour."

From Love and Olive Oil:
"For frosting, cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Add confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing each addition until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, *X-Rated, and food coloring, if using,* and beat until fluffy and smooth."

To assemble, spoon fruit spread into piping bag fitted with narrow tip.  Make sure the spread is as uniform as possible (read: not lumpy), so it will flow through the tip easily.  Fill each cupcake.  Frost, and enjoy!