Welcome Kim Davis!

I am so thrilled to have Kim Davis as our guest today. She contacted me about making a cupcake based on a cocktail recipe in THE DIVA TAKES THE CAKE. I had no idea how talented she was and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the pictures. Kim's blog is cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com . I know I'll be a regular there!

Wedded Blitz Martinis and Cupcakes

As soon as I read THE DIVA TAKES THE CAKE by Krista Davis, I knew I had to try The Wedded Blitz Martini. This cocktail is a blend of mango nectar, cranberry juice, peach schnapps and vodka…yummy! Plus I loved Krista’s tongue-in-cheek humor in naming the drink - perfect for those of us who have walked down the “aisle” more than once, as Sophie Winston’s sister does in the Domestic Diva series. 

After tasting Krista’s delicious concoction a time…or two…I was inspired to create a cupcake based on those ingredients. Current wedding trends have the bridal couple showcasing a signature cocktail at their wedding reception and often have cookies, cupcakes or candy dessert tables aside from the traditional wedding cake. I think it would be fun to have Krista’s Wedded Blitz cocktail served alongside complimentary flavored cupcakes. These two recipes would also fit right in at a bachelorette party or a bridal shower…or anytime friends want to get together!

My cupcake recipe may look daunting but the various layers add extra flavor and it's not as labor intensive as you might think. I tinkered with the recipe three times based on my taste testers' input. In the first version I used the liquid ratios from the Wedded Blitz Martini and they said it was good, just not a lot of flavor aside from sweet. I cut back on the vodka (because its mild flavor was washed out by the flour and sugar) but increased the peach schnapps for the second version. I also simmered and reduced the fruit juices to intensify their flavor. It got better reviews. The third version I adjusted flour and sugar ratios for better texture and I finally received the two thumbs up I was looking for. 

Please read through the entire cupcake recipe and instructions before beginning to bake. The fruit juice reduction needs to be completed before starting the cupcakes. 

Wedded Blitz Martinis

Ingredients

For One Serving
1 jigger vodka
3/4 jigger peach schnapps
1 jigger cranberry juice
1/2 jigger mango nectar

For a Party Pitcher – 10 servings
2 cups vodka
1-1/3 cup peach schnapps
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup mango nectar

Instructions

Stir ingredients together and serve, or add to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, vigorously shake then strain liquid into a martini glass. Garnish the martini glass rim with colored sugar if desired.

Enjoy!

Wedded Blitz Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1-1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (6.5 ounces) cake flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup Peach Schnapps
3 tablespoons mango and cranberry juice reduction (recipe below)

Mango & Cranberry Juice Reduction
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup mango nectar

Glaze
1/2 cup (2.3 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon vodka
2 tablespoons mango and cranberry reduction

Frosting
4 cups (18 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter or vegan margarine, room temperature
1 tablespoon vodka
1 tablespoon Peach Schnapps
2 tablespoons mango and cranberry reduction (plus additional if needed)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin tins with cupcake wrappers and lightly spritz with cooking spray. I found my tulip cupcake liners were difficult to separate, so do this before you begin mixing the batter. Once the liquid is introduced to the flour you want to start baking the cupcakes as soon as possible.

Mango & Cranberry Reduction

Place mango and cranberry juices into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. You will use this mixture 3 different times.

Reduction Tips

• You can make this a few days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
• If you reduce liquid to less than 1/2 cup simply add equal amounts of mango and cranberry juice to make up the difference as long as you don’t need to add more than 2 additional tablespoons.

Cupcakes

Place sugar and dried cranberries into the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 20 times. You want bigger pieces of cranberries along with smaller pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk the peach schnapps and mango & cranberry juice reduction together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric hand-held mixer on medium-high speed about 30 seconds.

Add the oil and beat on medium speed for one minute.

Slowly add the sugar and cranberry mixture and beat until incorporated.

Add about half the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Add half the peach schnapps mixture and mix on low until smooth.

Repeat with the remaining flour and liquid until all is incorporated and batter is smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.

Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full. This batter is thin and I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup for filling the liners.

Bake 13 - 15 minutes, rotating pans half way through baking. Cupcakes will be done when a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into middle. These develop a brown toasty color.

Remove from oven and let rest in cupcake tin for 5 minutes.

While the cupcakes rest, mix the glaze ingredients together.

Remove from tin and place on wire cooling rack.

Immediately poke holes over the tops of the cupcakes using the tines of a fork.

Brush with the glaze, allowing to soak in before applying more. Use all the glaze.

Glaze

Whisk the confectioner's sugar, vodka and juice reduction together until completely smooth.

Frosting

I found that the frosting whipped up more creamy and fluffy in my standing mixer than using an electric hand-held mixer, but either will work fine.

Mix together the vodka, peach schnapps and the juice reduction and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer cream butter until smooth, about 1 minute on medium.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add about 1/3 of the confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth.

Add about 1/3 of the liquid and beat until incorporated.

Repeat alternating with the sugar and liquid until all has been added.

Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

If the frosting seems too thick add additional juice reduction, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition until desired consistency is reached.

Place frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe swirls onto the cupcakes.

Garnish the cupcakes with edible pearl candies if desired.

I have shared the following Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen authors’ recipes on my blog:

Krista Davis’ Wedded Blitz Martini – THE DIVA TAKES THE CAKE

Lucy Burdette’s One-Bowl Chocolate Cake – TOPPED CHEF

Leslie Budewitz’s Salty Oat Cookies – ASSAULT AND PEPPER

Avery Aames’ Goat Cheese Cookies – AS GOUDA AS DEAD

Kim Davis
cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com
@kookiesandbooks

I launched my blog in February 2015, so I’m very new at this. However, I had given my ideas a lot of thought (about 2 years’ worth!) so I had a good inkling of the direction I wanted to go by the time I was free to commit to this project. So many of my friends told me I should blog, which planted the seeds. Initially I had thought my site would be more about cookie and cake decorating since I love doing that for my two granddaughters. My decorating is a self-taught hobby (not a job), but in addition to that hobby I love to read and bake all kinds of treats so it seemed I should incorporate all of what I love to do.

I’ve collected numerous culinary cozy mystery recipes over the years and still have favorites that I make often. It seemed a perfect fit to share the books I love to read with my audience AND share the recipes I try out from the culinary mysteries I read. It has been a pleasure connecting with so many authors that I admire and I appreciate the opportunity to share their wonderful recipes!

Today Krista is giving away a copy of THE DIVA STEALS A CHOCOLATE 

KISS to one lucky person who leaves a comment! Remember to

leave your email address so she can contact you! Good luck!