Key Lime Cupcakes

Our weather stayed nice for almost five days!

Five whole days of warmth, backyard play, impromptu playdates with the neighbors, gardening, and cocktails on the patio.  It was the perfect spring gift that we’d been waiting for.

And now we’re back to gray.

But I can totally deal with it now – especially since this weekend is looking good again (fingers crossed).

And I decided to make a little sunshine of my own in the kitchen, in the form of some citrus-y light cupcakes.

The Recipe:

Key Lime Cupcakes, slightly adapted from My Madison Bistro

(Makes 12-14 cupcakes.)

1 3/4 c cake flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t  salt

1 stick butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces

1 1/4 c sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3  T  key lime juice

1 1/2 T key lime zest

2 drops green food coloring

¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Stir the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk and set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low until it’s softened a bit.  Add the sugar and increase the speed to medium.  Beat until fluffy.  Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the lime juice, zest, and food coloring and beat until mixed.  (The mixture may look curdled.)

Add the flour in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the bowl as necessary.  Mix on low until just combined.  Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely and frost with cream cheese icing.

~~~~

Icing:

1 stick butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

2 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 T key lime zest

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low until it’s softened a bit.  Increase speed to medium and add the cream cheese one piece at a time.  Reduce speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar until combined.  Beat in zest.

{Printable Recipe}

The Results:

I know that I’m slightly ahead of the actual Key Lime season, but these cupcakes seemed like a necessary part of my week.  (Kinda like chocolate is, usually.)

I mean, how have I never made (or eaten for that matter) a lime cake/cupcake?  I have been missing out!

(And I have to also admit that I’d never actually seen a Key Lime before.  It was kind of fun working with these tiny little guys.)

The cupcakes, themselves, turned out extremely well.  They had the best texture of any cupcake I’ve made: soft, light, and perfectly balanced in flavor.

The key lime flavor was front and center – tart and sweet at once.  Then you top with the cream cheese frosting…mmm.  The added tang takes this dessert over the top.  I had to immediately send some to friends, or I knew we’d eat all of them very quickly.

I really wish the day had been a bit sunnier (or lighter) so I could’ve gotten a brighter picture – but you get the point, right?

Another cupcake winner.

Damn, I’m good.

(And humble, too.)