For the Cupcakes

• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 egg + 2 yolks, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lime zest

For the Buttercream Frosting

• 8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 oz Crisco shortening
• 2 lbs confectioners. sugar
• 1 oz gold tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 2 tsp lime zest

Tequila Lime Syrup - equal parts of each ingredient:

• ⅓ simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated on stove until sugar dissolves and then cooled to room temperature)
• ⅓ tequila
• ⅓ lemon juice

Garnish

• sanding sugar
• sea salt

Special Equipment

• electric mixer
• ice cream scoop
• squeeze bottle
• jumbo muffin tin
• muffin liners

Make the Cupcakes

1. Adjust oven rack to middle and preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt
3. Add the soft butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and lime and beat the wet ingredients into the dry at medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all of the flour is incorporated
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes
5. Let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour before frosting

Make the Frosting

1. Beat the butter and Crisco together until smooth, add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 10 minutes)
2. Scrape down the bowl and add the tequila, lime juice and zest.  Beat until smooth and creamy

Fill & Frost

1. Poke a small hole in each cupcake top and add tequila lime syrup
2. Add frosting to a pastry bag.  Don't overfill.  Start with the center hole and fill with frosting, then frost each cupcake top
3. Rim cupcake edges with the sanding sugar
4. Sprinkle a few grains of sea salt on each cupcake and enjoy!