Gin and Tonic Cupcakes

After my gin and tonic party last month, I had about a shot of New Amsterdam gin left in my pantry, and was absolutely determined to make something with the gin.  But I had never heard of any recipe using gin.  Rum, tequila, vodka; all of these I've cooked with, but never gin.  Even my cocktail book has no baking or cooking uses for gin.  But I am a determined girl, and I found something.

Yumsugar has a recipe for Gin and Tonic Cupcakes that I altered a bit for my own purposes (read: items available to me in the pantry), and have found an interesting little snack.

Here's what I came up with:

CUPCAKES
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tbsp sparkling water
lime zest
ICING
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 tbsp gin
2 tbsp powdered sugar
lime zest
lime slices dipped in sugar


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees farhenheit.


With a mixer, beat the egg whites with salt and lemon juice until risen like a soft merengue.

Beat in the sugar.  Fold in the flour.  Add sparkling water.

Bake 15-20 minutes.

Spoon cream cheese into a bowl, beat with gin and sugar and lime zest.

When cupcakes are cool, ice the tops and place a sugared lime slice on each.

Here is a link to some other suggestions for cooking with gin: (I can't vouch for any of them yet)
Chowhound