Refreshing Blue Moon Cupcakes

BLUE MOON CUPCAKES:

These refreshing cupcakes give you everything you love on a hot summer's day. The orange flavoring is not overpowering and you will be left wanting more!

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcake:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

2/3 cup Blue Moon beer

2 tbsp. whole milk

Orange cream cheese frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

4 – 4 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

4 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream butter until pale and fluffy. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Cream together until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and orange zest; mix until combined.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together beer and milk. Alternatively add beer mixture and flour mixture to butter mixture until fully incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners 1/2 – 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes until slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting:

Mix together butter and cream cheese. With motor running, add confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until all the sugar has been added, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in orange juice until fully incorporated.

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with an orange peel if desired.

Enjoy!