Tasteful Tuesday :: Horchata Cupcakes

No you didn't read that wrong, I'm a day behind on these little fellas, sorry. Now, if you really know me, you would know I am addicted to horchata. Horchata is a Latin American and Spanish, agua fresca, traditional beverage usually tan in color and milky. The flavors will differ and are unique to its country of origin.  Ingredients often include sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and in Mexico, made of rice. You can often find this special drink in Mexican restaurants and the rice based, ready-made, powdered form in grocery stores.

Due to this "addiction" I set out to find a recipe on the big www that included this special drink. And to my surprise I only found one worth trying. The frosting it called for was more soupy and glazed the cakes similar to a cinnamon role, but if you're into that you can find the original recipe over at Chockylit here. I decided to go with a buttercream frosting infused with horchata. Be warned, these delectable little cakes taste very "horchatary."

Horchata

Ingredients:
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almond slivers
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
6 cups water

Instructions:

1. wash and drain the rice


2. process rice in a food processor until fine and add to a bowl
3. add almonds and cinnamon to the rice


4. add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered


5. blend mixture using a blender (i had to do it in two batches)

6. add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending (again in two batches)


7. strain using a metal strainer

8. strain again using a double layer of cheesecloth

Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh horchata
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 large egg whites

Instructions:

1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. drizzle the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together
4. mix the horchata and vanilla together
5. add the flour mixture and horchata mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and horchata and beating well after each addition
6. set aside incorporated mixture
7. in a clean mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for approximately 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean

Frosting

Ingredients:

2 stick of butter

6-7 cups of confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

up to 2 tablespoons of fresh horchata
up to 2 tablespoons of milk

Instructions:

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer.

2. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until sugar has been incorporated with butter. 

3. Increase mixer speed and add vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon of horchata and 1 tablespoon of milk and beat for 3 minutes.

4. If your frosting needs to be more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar 1 cup at a time. If your frosting needs to be

thinned out, add remaining horchata and milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Linking up with : Talent Tuesday @ Vintage Wanna Bee, Get Your Craft On @ Today’s Creative Blog, Show Me What You Got @ Not JUST a Housewife

Crazy Sweet Tuesday (Desserts Only) @ Crazy for Crust, Share It Link Party @ The Winthrop Chronicles

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