Baking Away in Margaritaville, Vol 2 (Cherry Lemonade Yum-Yums)

These bars were the other new hit at our Buffett tailgate this past weekend. I'll warn you, they're not pretty.  They're not easy to photograph and come out looking mouthwatering.  You're going to have to trust me, they smell and taste a hundred times more beautiful than they look.  I'm sure if I had more time and energy, I could have found a way to make them lovely.  I would have decorated them with little gray construction paper shark fins glued onto toothpicks.  Or I would have dusted them with a dash of powdered sugar.  Or I would have found the (nonexistent) spot in my house that gets great light.  But let's face it - there was a tailgate to get to.  The spirits were calling me...

Let me tell you what these are.  They're sweet and sour with a soft crust.  Someone described them as inside out Pop Tarts, which I know was meant as a compliment, but honestly, I hate Pop Tarts.  Never much liked them when I was a kid.  Dry biscuits with some food colored stale jam in the middle. Therefore, these will not be called Pop Tarts.  These will be called:  Cherry Lemonade Yum Yums.  Many thanks to fellow Parrothead Jon Ward who coined the "Yum Yum" term for last year's cinnamon dessert, giving me a ready made name for most of my homemade treats.

Chew a little juicy fruit...

Cherry Lemonade YumYums
(adapted from Cheeky Kitchen)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounce maraschino cherries, with juice
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
3 eggs
1-1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Mix the butter, 1 cup flour, powdered sugar and salt together until combined into a wet dough.  Using the back of a spoon, press onto the bottom of a 9x9 glass baking dish.  Blend the cherries with juice and corn starch for 1 minute or until combined but cherries still a little chunky (the Magic Bullet did a great job at this in about 5 pulses).  Pour over the crust and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  In the meantime, whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice together.  Pour over the baked crust and cherries (I didn't allow any cooling time and the layers mixed, so probably if you wait 2-3 minutes you could avoid that).  Return to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is set and doesn't wiggle.  Cool completely before cutting.

Baking Away in Margaritaville... (Margaritaville Cupcakes)

Fins to the left, fins to the right...

This weekend was BUFFETT WEEKEND!!!  Jimmy Buffett is playing two shows in Philadelphia/South Jersey this year - one yesterday and one on Tuesday.  In my circle of friends, this annual tradition is as close to Christmas in the summer as one can get.  It might actually be better than Christmas - there's more margaritas and less snow.  We tailgate like professionals - RV with bathroom, pop up canopies, kiddie pool with sand, one or two grills, margaritas and hand grenades (an evil drink concoction of everclear and secret drink mix), beer, parking lot games and lots and lots of food.  I spent this year's Buffett Eve with the Buffett-Master, who organizes this extravaganza every year, making endless ka-bobs and stocking the RV with everything good tailgaters might need.  I also appointed myself to the post of dessert dominatrix, and got to work making Cinnamon Yum Yums, Cherry Lemonade Bars and these, Margaritaville Cupcakes.  They were, according to what I was told at the party yesterday, the most amazing cupcakes you'll ever eat.  After all, what's better than cake and tequila??

Nibblin' on sponge cake...

 Margaritaville Cupcakes

(adapted from Homemade by Holman)

1 box yellow cake mix 

7 ounces lime juice
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce orange juice
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Zest of 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons)

Combine the lime juice, tequila and orange juice in a small bowl.  In a larger bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, oil and juice mixture until combined.  Add the lime zest and beat on medium high for 2 minutes.  Spoon into cupcake liners, about 2/3 full, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

Lime Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

2 tablespoons lime juice
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest

green gel food coloring

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add lime juice and mix until incorporated.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the icing is at your desired consistency (I like mine to be able to hold its shape).  Mix in the lime zest and green food coloring as desired.  Spoon into a pastry bag and use to ice cooled cupcakes.  Store in the refrigerator.

These totally make me the woman to blame...