Blueberry Mojito Cupcake

Ingredients:

Mojito Cupcake:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
• ¾ cup whole milk, hot
• ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• grated zest of 2 limes
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon rum

Ginger-Lime Mascarpone Frosting:

• 8-ounce mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tsp. grated fresh ginger (more or less depending on taste)
• zest of 3 limes
• juice from 2 limes
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup whipping cream

Instructions:

Mojito Cupcake:

1. Preheat to 350F.
    
2. Add mint leaves to hot milk. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Pour milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Press liquid from mint leaves. Discard leaves and allow milk to cool slightly.
    
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
    
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in lime zest, vanilla and rum (if using).
    
6. On very low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour, mixing until just incorporated.
    
7. Fill 18 standard muffin cups half full. Bake until cupcakes spring back when touched, 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.

Ginger-Lime Mascarpone Frosting:

1. Combine mascarpone cheese, sugar, ginger, lime zest, lime juice and salt and blend until smooth and creamy. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipping cream into mascarpone cheese mixture.
   
2. Pipe onto cupcakes.