The Shirley Temple is a nostalgic drink for so many, and its combination of grenadine and lemon-lime lends itself perfectly to baked goods. There is a “baking hack” for making cupcakes which involves mixing a boxed cake mix with a can of soda—so I thought, why not make Shirley Temple cupcakes? These beauties literally use the same ingredients as the cocktail, and they are both refreshing and beautiful! This recipe is perfect for your summertime pool parties!
Heat oven to 350°F. Place a paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In a large bowl, beat cake mix, carbonated beverage, and grenadine syrup with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups (about 2/3 full).
Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans; remove from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar with an electric mixer until blended. Add the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and mix until blended. Add heavy cream, lemon zest, and lime zest; beat until smooth and desired consistency, adding additional cream if frosting is too thick.
Place frosting in a decorating bag fitted with a large star piping tip.
Pipe frosting as desired onto cupcakes.
Decorate each cupcake with a maraschino cherry and small lime wedge. Store in the refrigerator.
An ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop makes filling the muffin cups with the cake batter a breeze.
If you are short on time or don't have a decorating bag, simply spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a knife or offset spatula. They will still look amazing.
A 12-oz can of lemon-lime carbonated soda pop yields enough for this recipe plus a couple of sips to enjoy while baking.
