Raspberry Mojito Cupcakes

You may remember from last week that I’m working with ALDI for their Summer Road Trip. I’m sharing all about Atlanta with you as one of the five cities they are virtually “visiting”. Last time, we talked all about the food, so today we are talking some fun activities you can do while visiting! So let’s talk about some of my favorite things to do.

Stone Mountain Park – It’s located right outside of metro Atlanta and is just as it sounds – a mountain made of stone- quartz to be exact. There are all kinds of activities that are great for families, including a skyride to the top of the mountain that gives beautiful views of the Atlanta skyline, fishing, hiking and an awesome night-time laser show that ends with fireworks. We’ve seen the show and it really is awesome and totally worth it. The park would also be a great place to take a picnic with some of your favorite ALDI foods. They have great meats and cheeses for sandwiches and they even carry Kings Hawaiian bread (one of my faves), which is great for sandwiches.

One of my most popular desserts recipe has to be my Grandma’s Southern Peach Cobbler. I receive emails almost everyday about my peach cobbler!  Since so many of you love the cobbler, I’ve decided to share another peach cobbler recipe, but this time I’ve turned it into a cupcake!

Chastain Memorial Park – This park is the largest in Atlanta. There are jogging paths, playgrounds, tennis courts, and my personal favorite – the amphitheater. The amphitheater is only open in the summer, but always has classic artists. Remember when I went to the Boyz II Men concert last summer? This is where it was. It’s a completely unique atmosphere and experience. Unlike any other amphitheater I’ve been to, you can bring in your own tables, food and coolers. Many people will even bring tablecloths and vases of flowers. It’s the perfect place to bring your favorite bottle of ALDI wine, and some ALDI cheese and crackers and enjoy a show.

Centennial Olympic Park – This park is located right in downtown Atlanta and was built for the 1996 Olympics. It’s 21 acres of greenery, and includes and the Fountain of Rings, where you’ll always find kids running around in bathing suits during the warm weather. The park is also surrounded by some of Atlanta’s biggest attractions, including the new SkyView Atlanta Ferris Wheel, the CNN building, The World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium. It’d be another great place for a picnic with some of your favorite ALDI products. Might I suggest these peach cobbler cupcakes for dessert before exploring the area? 🙂

I started off making a simple cupcake batter, which was very similar to my Banana Pudding Cupcakes. I then made a peach cobbler filling. I pureed half of the peach cobbler filling, and put it into my cupcake batter -Then I used the remaining batter to top of my cupcakes! If that wasn’t enough for you, these cupcakes also are topped with a a homemade buttercream!

Honestly, these cupcakes are simply amazing. You have to try them. They will be perfect for any occasion, but is the perfect desserts for

• Holiday parties
• Southern Themed Parties
• Barbecues
• &  Bachelorette Parties

Ingredients

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 fresh peaches, peeled and diced (or 2 cups chopped frozen peaches, thawed)
• 1 container cream cheese frosting
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (or vanilla)
• 1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12 cupcake tins with liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs, water, oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, pinch of all-spice and a pinch of cloves. Stir until evenly combined and lump-free. Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the prepared pans.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the peaches along with lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of all-spice, and a pinch of cloves. Add about a teaspoon of the peach chunks in the center of each cupcake. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese frosting with the bourbon, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of of nutmeg, cloves and all-spice. Frost the tops of each cupcake and then roll the edges around the crushed graham cracker crumbs. Top with a peach chunk. Serve right away or store in fridge until ready to serve.