Blue Moon Cupcakes

Blue Moon Cupcakes

(makes ~15 cupcakes)

Ingredients

3/4 a stick/6 tbsp butter, melted

2 eggs, room temperature

4 oz buttermilk*

6 oz Blue Moon beer

2 tsp vanilla

zest of one orange

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter and set aside to cool down.
3. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, beer, vanilla, and orange zest in one bowl, and mix together the sugar, flour, coriander, and baking soda in another. (*Here's a tip: You can make buttermilk by combining 1 tbsp lemon juice and enough milk to add up to 1 cup. So easy!)
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two parts, using a mixer to combine. Add the melted butter and combine.
5. Pour batter into cupcake cups and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.

Fresh-baked cupcakes.
And my new silicone baking cups!

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 package(s) (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup(s) (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon(s) fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon(s) grated orange zest

5 cup(s) confectioners' sugar

1.5 oz Blue Moon beer

Directions

1. Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and Blue Moon in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth.
2. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 3 more minutes.
3. Keep chilled until you're ready to use.

Mmmm icing! (This is still in my fridge waiting for another use.)

*Topping* I'm actually planning on adding a little garnish to this, by cutting some small slices of my leftover orange to give it a little extra pizzazz. 

I found the recipe for these on stumbleupon a while ago, and bookmarked them just in case. The website titled "The Bitchin' Kitchin'" is full of fun recipes and I'll likely be trying more of her stuff.