warning.  the recipe i am about to post is not healthy.  while it was extremely delicious, the last thing i want to do is lead anyone astray from a clean diet.  this recipe is truly a once-in-a “blue moon” unhealthy recipe for me! :)

my husband and i are celebrating our one year anniversary today!

picture taken by my sweet friend and client amy… images of grace photography

one year ago, at our wedding reception, my husband requested to serve only one beer…his favorite–blue moon.  so in honor of our special day, i surprised my husband with a (not-so-healthy) cupcake using blue moon beer.

i also have to confess, despite my rare strikes of creative genius, i cannot take credit for the cupcake part of this recipe.  i did, however, come up with the orange-cream-cheese frosting all on my own! ;)

i got the recipe here…and i think she also adapted it from another blogger’s site.  i couldn’t help but make a few minor “healthy” tweaks to this recipe, but let me assure you, it is still not healthy!

once in a “blue moon” cupcake

• 3/4 cup earth balance “butter” at room temperature
• 1-3/4 cup organic sugar
• 2-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 cup blue moon beer, plus more for brushing on tops
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• orange wedges for garnish

 instructions:

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. using electric mixer, beat together the ‘butter’ and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. add eggs, beating after each addition then add the vanilla and zest.
5. combine milk and beer and alternatively add this mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture with the mixer on low speed, starting and ending with the flour.
6. fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 24 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
7. when cupcakes are done, poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes with toothpicks and brush some beer on each while still warm.

orange cream frosting:

• 1 packet duncan hines orange cream frosting flavoring
• 10 oz neufchâtel cheese, chilled (or cream cheese)
• 6 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

instructions:

1. combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes)
2. add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed until just blended, then increase speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 more minutes
3. blend in the orange cream flavoring packet
4. frost & garnish with orange wedges

so, i tried to make a lighter version of this frosting (see above picture) but as it started to droop down the side of the cupcake mid photo shoot, i realized it was not stiff enough to frost the cupcakes with…enter unhealthy orange cream frosting creation. :)

we took the left-over cupcakes to a friend’s house-warming gathering this weekend…and i can tell you they were quite the hit!!