Mojito Cupcakes

There are few drinks that say "summer" more clearly to me than a mojito.  I'm not talking about the premade, bottled mojitos that are mass-produced now.  A real mojito, that hits the sides of your tongue with lime and white rum while at the same time making your mouth tingle with fresh mint and soothing with sweet, is a delicate balance in a glass.  This cupcake has the same balance, but in a different form.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Cake:
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons white rum
Zest and juice of 2 limes
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Prepare 24 cupcake pans with paper liner or by greasing.  Set aside.
2. Combine buttermilk, white sugar, and mint leaves in small saucepan.  Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook mixture until just simmering.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3.  Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.  Whisk well.  Set aside.
4. Beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended.  Add rum, lime juice and zest, and mint extract.  Beat well.  Mixture will appear curdled.
5. Strain buttermilk mixture, now cooled, into a bowl with a strainer.  A spatula may be needed to force mixture through strainer, but at the end cooked mint leaves should remain in strainer while buttermilk strains into bowl.  Discard mint.
6. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter batter.  Beat well.  Pour in half of the buttermilk and mix.  Scrap bowl.  Add another third of the flour mixture and beat until smooth.  Add remaining buttermilk, mix, and then remaining flour mixture.  Beat just until combined.
7. Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners.  Bake in 325 degree oven for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Frosting:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon white rum
Enough milk to thin

1. With spatula, mix frosting ingredients until desired consistency. 
2. Using a knife, spread frosting evenly over cupcakes.

Cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to three days.