A New Fad in Housewarming Gifts

Cute potted plants, scented candle and candlestick sets, fancy picture frames, cool kitchen gadgets...the list of housewarming gifts can go on and on, with plenty of focus on all things decorative and all things practical. That being said, you can leave those gifts to all the other guests and bring something unique and tasty to liven up what's bringing you there in the first place: the party. That's what Eugene did when he ordered a batch of boozy cupcakes for his friend's housewarming party on a Saturday evening in a beautiful San Francisco neighborhood.

Presenting, Light-as-a-Cloud Cointreau Cupcakes:
Ooh, will you look at that? Light, vanilla buttercakes with orangey Cointreau poured into the batter, topped with an airy cloud of Cointreau buttercream--whipped 'til fluffy--and a juicy mandarin orange slice.

Here they are pre-mandarined:
And here they are after, for a refreshing splash of color:
The lightness and delicate orange flavor, while deceptive (these babies were in no way low-fat), make it easy to devour these cupcakes without any feelings of guilt--and that's a good thing! All the more reason to take a lovely stroll in the new neighborhood to work off those extra calories that were oh-so-worth it.
Thanks, Eugene, for your order. I hope these cupcakes were a hit at the housewarming and that you were deemed the most awesome guest in the history of, well, ever ;)