Key Lime Cupcakes
Key Lime Cupcakes are light, moist, tangy, and sweet. With zest and key lime juice in both the cake and frosting. You’ll love this citrus dessert!
Citrus lovers will enjoy these tangy and refreshing key lime cupcakes. They’re easy to make from scratch with basic ingredients. You’ll be whipping up these cupcakes in no time!
Ode to Limes
I try not to play favorites with citrus fruits, but limes are probably at the top. There is just something about that tang in my mouth that makes me happy.
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Not only are limes awesome, but being green makes them perfect to use for St. Patrick’s Day treats!
For these key lime cupcakes, the cake itself is more blonde without food coloring. But throw them in a green wrapper with a lime wedge on top — perfection!
Of course key lime is a great flavor for summer too. Key lime cupcakes just scream beaches and sunshine! A lot like my Coconut and Lime Cupcakes.
Key Lime Juice
The most important ingredient in these cupcakes is key lime juice. These are key lime cupcakes after all. If you have ever seen key limes, you know they are about the size of a quarter. So small!
The difference between limes and key limes is so minimal that you can use them interchangeably in recipes. Key limes are slightly less sharp than regular limes. But both limes are great in dessert recipes.
Because key limes are so small, zesting and juicing them would be a nightmare. But if you’re up for the challenge go for it! (Be sure to zest the outside of the limes before slicing them in half and juicing them.)
I opt to use regular limes for the zest and will grab a bottle of key lime juice from the store. It’s easy to find and always available. (I love to add it to my Diet Dr. Pepper too.)
Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
What better to top these key lime cupcakes than with a zesty key lime frosting?
I made my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe with the addition of lime zest and key lime juice for extra citrus flavor in every bite.
The creaminess marries well with the tart lime and the frosting isn’t too sweet, so that tang we know and love still comes through.
Key Lime Cupcakes
These Key Lime Cupcakes may or may not be so good that I ate like 5 of them in one day… Oh my! Did I just admit that?! Better hit the gym real hard! Haha.
Good thing my husband took the rest of them to work for his co-workers. I tell ya, lime treats get gobbled up when they are in my house.
Anyway, if you are a citrus freak like I am, get to making these cupcakes ASAP! Delicious!
More Lime Recipes
- Brazilian Lemonade Recipe (Limeade)
- Key Lime Pie
- Coconut Lime Crinkle Cookies
- Lime Bars
- Key Lime Cookies
- Twisted Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Coconut Key Lime Pie
- Coconut Lime Ice Cream
- Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
- Key Lime Poke Cake
- Coconut Lime Dessert
- Lime Cookies with glaze
Key Lime Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (118 ml) oil, (canola/vegetable)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 g) key lime juice, (I used Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice)
- 4 tsp lime zest, (two regular limes)
- ½ cup (118 g) buttermilk*
Frosting:
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 Tbsp key lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest, (half a lime)
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or 400˚F for high altitude). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the lime juice and zest and mix until combined.
- Add the flour in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full (not ¾ or they will overflow).
- Bake at 375˚F (or 400˚F for high altitude) for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
- FOR THE FROSTING: Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Add key lime juice and lime zest. Mix and scrape bowl. Add powdered sugar all at once and mix until just combined. CHILL frosting for 30 minutes before piping on top, if frosting seems too soft. Frost cupcakes as desired. (*If piping high, 1.5x the recipe.)
Notes
- 1 lime = about 2 tsp lime zest
- *Make buttermilk with 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp key lime juice. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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*Originally published 2/24/13. Updated 2/10/21.
I just made a batch and a half. Key limes weren’t in season and where I live I couldn’t get the bottled juice. I am an avid baker and lover of citrus. The cupcakes turned out fairly potent so I think I will omit juice in cream cheese frosting. I baked at 350 for 17 minutes and they are moist with a great crumb.
Sorry you found them extra potent. I do like my citrus desserts very citrus-y, but I’m glad you can easily make the cupcakes the way you prefer them next time.
Would this recipe work for an 8×8 or 9×9 cake? If so, what would the bake time be? Thank you.
I would use the 9×9 pan and start checking it at 25-30 minutes.
The only buttermilk in my area is fat free. (What’s the point in that?) I have made sour milk with vinegar and whole milk, but I don’t think it is as good as buttermilk. Can you offer a substitute that won’t compromise the recipe? Many thanks.
Fat free buttermilk will be just fine or you can use the sour milk method. Both are great substitutes in this recipe.
Hi Amber, I tried these cupcakes (without the frosting though) and they came out perfectly. Thanks so much for sharing.
Great! Thanks for coming back to share!
Pinned while I was here! Thanks for linking up 🙂
Amber, these are beautiful and sound amazing! You are a Featured Favorite again this week on Saturday Show & Tell on Cheerios and Lattes. Thanks for joining us last week; we love having you and your amazing recipes! Can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to this week!
Mackenzie 🙂
beautiful looking cup cake, that i just had to pin thanks for sharing, found you on weds blog hop
I also love lime, and this sounds awesome! I’m featuring this at my link party tonight!
These look yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Citrus desserts are my favorite. Such yummy looking cupcakes Amber!