Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

Ingredients:
(Cupcakes)
3 cups cake flour (I actually used cake flour, which I never do)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter, at room temperature (I am a rebel and use salted all the time)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. limeade concentrate
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used whole milk because it’s all we keep in the house)
(Lime syrup)
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
(Icing)
3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
(Garnish)
fresh lime slices
maraschino cherries


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line or grease cupcake pans
In a large bowl whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, cream the butter until fluffy and smooth
Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed
Add in the limeade concentrate and mix to incorporate
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions
Add in the flour mixture gradually, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix ingredients just long enough that everything is incorporated — don’t want to overmix it
Fill your prepared cupcakes pans and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then completely on a wire rack

Now the syrup!
After the cupcakes are completely cooled, whisk together the limeade concentrate and confectioners sugar in a small bowl to make the lime syrup. Poke several holes in the top of each cupcake with toothpicks and gently spoon the syrup over the cupcakes, a tiny bit at a time, allowing it to soak in. I didn’t end up using all the syrup, but feel free to do so! Annie tells me it’s up to your tastes.

To make the icing, combine the confectioners sugar, butter and maraschino cherry juice in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until sugar is mixed in, then increase to medium speed and beat until smooth. You can add more maraschino cherry juice as needed to thin out the icing enough to be workable, but I found that 4 Tbsp was just fine. Optional: add red food coloring if desired; I didn’t because the pink of the cherry juice alone was fabulous.