Hostess with the Mostess®

Cosmos are the obvious signature drink of choice for Sex and the City parties… but there’s more than one way to enjoy them!

Below is a super easy recipe for Cosmo Cupcakes, along with 2 options for icing: yummy homemade Lime Buttercream or (for when you’re in a time crunch) simple store-bought vanilla, both tinted pink.

I found some Cosmo Cupcake recipes online, but they all had a bunch of ingredients, so in the interest of keeping things simple, here’s my shortcut: just buy a box of SuperMoist Vanilla Cake Mix and swap out the water called for on the box for a ready-made Cosmo Drink Mixer instead – it works great! (I used Simple Cosmopolitan by Stirrings®).

Read on for the full Cosmo Cupcake recipe, “Sex and the City Style” decorating tips, and the free printable cupcake wrappers…

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COSMOPOLITAN CUPCAKES:

• 1 box SuperMoist Vanilla Cake Mix
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1-1/4 cups ready-made Cosmo drink mixer

Directions: Make cupcakes according to box directions, swapping out 1-1/4 cups Cosmopolitan drink mix for the 1-1/4 cups water called for on the box.

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PINK LIME BUTTERCREAM ICING:

• 8 Tbsp butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp Cosmo drink mixer
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 5-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Red or pink gel icing colors (a little red gel will make hot pink)
• Sprinkles

Directions: In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, lime juice, Cosmo mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. Tint icing with food coloring. (Gel icing colors enable you to tint icing without watering it down.)

Spread or pipe icing onto each (completely cooled) cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles and/or a lime twist.

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OR: Super-Easy Icing Alternative: Use gel food coloring to tint store-bought vanilla frosting hot pink. Done!

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CUPCAKE DECORATING – “SEX AND THE CITY STYLE”

These SATC 2 cupcakes combine the sparkle of NYC city lights (as hinted in the design of the toppers & wrappers) with the colorful decadence of the ladies’ getaway to Abu Dhabi, (via rhinestone embellishments and gold foil doilies).

You’ll Need:
• “City Sparkle” SATC Toppers, cut into 2″ circles
• Craft stickers – gold rhinestones & colored gems
• Wooden appetizer skewers (long toothpicks/available at grocery stores)
• SATC Cupcake Wrappers – download them here in PDF format
• Small gold foil doilies (in the baking aisle at Michaels)

Directions:
1. Print the cupcake wrappers on sturdy photo-quality paper, cut them out, and wrap them around the bottom portion of the cupcakes. Secure edges with tape or glue.

2. Decorate the SATC Toppers with craft rhinestones & gems, attach to wooden skewers with tape or glue, and insert into cupcakes. Display each cupcake on a gold foil doily. Cheers!