While your hubby may be focusing on the NCAA Brackets – we’ve been taking part in the Betty Brackets! We’ve been featuring a new fave recipe from Betty Crocker’s 16 Recipe Betty Bracket Program daily…and you don’t even have to be a basketball fan to thoroughly enjoy this bracket !
They say that beer is becoming the new wine. With the growing trend of beer as a cooking ingredient, combined with the rise of the craft beer industry, the variety of foods and beers available to consumers has never been more diverse and flavorful.
Combining these trends, along with the impending March Madness (NCAA basketball tournament), is the second annual “Betty Bracket” program presented by Betty Crocker and sports-loving actor and popular TV personality Mario Lopez.
The Betty Brackets program creates the ultimate recipe tip-off between eight savory “Beer Meets Bar Food” recipes and eight sweet “Beer Meets Bakery” recipes. Each of the recipes features beer as an ingredient to provide a unique flavor and to help deliver the perfect assist to any viewing party. During three rounds of voting, you cancast your vote online to determine the nation’s top party food.
The sweet and savory brackets are made up of four smaller brackets – “Cheesetastic”, “Meaty Eats”, “Chocolate!”, and “Sweet Treats” – and include ideas like Beer Queso Nachos and Black and Tan Beer Pops, which plays upon the current craze for frozen pops. Also featuring four new chocolate stout recipes that capitalize on the festive flavor of Guinness and other stout beers.
Some interesting tips about cooking with beer:
Beer has a tenderizing effect and is a perfect matchup for meat-based recipes
Beer helps keep baked good moist and fresh, while adding a little extra puff
The beer flavors will be enhanced in those recipes with a longer cooking time
Craft beers are ideal as a cooking ingredient due to the quality and variety of flavors available
And of course, we’ve selected the Beer Meets Bakery Bracket to get started, featuring Betty’s Chocolate Bracket and the Sweet Treats Bracket to share with you…hmmm…wonder why ?
I love these recipes because they have minimal ingredient requirements and are time and budget friendly !
LEMON SHANDY CUPCAKES – Like a beer and lemonade shandy? You’ll love this light and refreshing shandy cupcake.
PREP TIME:
30 min
SERVINGS:
24
INGREDIENTS:
Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup hefeweizen wheat beer
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons hefeweizen wheat beer
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
Garnishes
Honey, if desired
Small lemon wedges, if desired
STEP 1:
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
STEP 2:
Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, 1 cup beer, the oil and eggs. Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon peel. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
STEP 3:
Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
STEP 4:
In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and salt with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in 2 tablespoons beer, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and the lemon juice. Beat in powdered sugar until blended. If frosting is too thick, beat in more beer, a few drops at a time. Frost cupcakes. Just before serving, drizzle with honey and garnish with lemon wedges. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
As usual with the recipes in the Betty Brackets, all I can say is ….Yum !! And don’t forget to get Coupons for your ingredients in our COUPON DATABASE
Will you be testing this one out ?
Make sure to check out the entire Betty Brackets program at Betty Crocker online!
See more Free Recipes along with more of our Betty Brackets recipe series HERE
©Betty Crocker 2012 – Betty Crocker provided all recipes and images for the purpose of publishing to readers at frugalfabulousfinds.com.
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