Lime Cupcakes + Vanilla Lime Frosting

The perfect cupcakes for a warm spring day, these Lime Cupcakes with Vanilla Lime Buttercream Frosting are just the right combination of refreshing and decadent!

The cake portion is minimally sweet, letting the indulgent frosting really shine and create the perfect balance. 

You don’t need any expert skills or tools to make these cupcakes.  While using a piping bag for frosting will always look pretty, you can also use the ziplock bag method as I did!  A butter knife works as well.  Use whatever you have available to you!

Main Supplies Needed:

  • A Cupcake / Muffin Pan + Liners
  • A Hand Mixer
  • A Zester Or Cheese Grater
  • Toothpicks
  • A Cooling Rack

(If you don’t anticipate the entire batch being consumed at once, check out the storage recommendations at the bottom of the instructions.)

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES

  • 1.5 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1.5 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 3/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Cane Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Lime Zest
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, cubed, room temperature
  • 2 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/3 Cup + 1 Tbsp Half and Half, room temperature, or slightly cool is okay!

FROSTING

  • 1 Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temperature/softened
  • 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Lime Zest
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

TOPPING

Optional: Lime Slice Garnishes To Serve

Directions:

PREP

Line a cupcake/muffin tray with 12 liners

Prepare the lime zest and set aside (including the extra reserved for the frosting)

Preheat the oven to 350º

CUPCAKES

In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk together with a fork

Set the dry ingredients aside

In a large bowl, mix the sugar and lime zest together with a hand mixer

Beat in the cubed butter with a hand mixer, being careful not to overmix (A spoon can be briefly used to ease the mixing, then switch to a low/medium speed until combined and fluffy)

Next, beat in the eggs until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in approximately half of the lime juice until just combined (on a low speed)

Then, mix in approximately half of the dry ingredients until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in the other half of the lime juice as well as the half and half until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in the other half of the dry ingredients until combined (on a low speed)

You can use a spoon to scrape the sides if needed and lightly finish stirring

The batter should now be smooth

Add the batter into the liners

Bake for 18 minutes, or just until a toothpick comes clean

Be careful not to overbake as they will dry out quickly

After 2 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack to prevent overcooking (I use a pair of forks to lightly grab them out of the hot pan)

While they’re cooling, make the frosting

FROSTING

In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer until whipped

Loosely stir in the powdered sugar (to avoid mess) then finish combining it with the hand mixer

Mix in the lime juice

Then, mix in the lime zest

Finally, mix in the vanilla

DECORATION

Using your method of choice, frost the cupcakes

Garnish with lime slices before serving if you like

Enjoy!

[If the whole batch is not being consumed at once, the leftover cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and the leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge!  The frosting can be brought back up to room temperature before using on the leftovers.  It will return to its original soft texture.]

Ingredient recommendations linked!


Interested in more citrus desserts? Try my Iced Lemon Cake!

My Favorite Frozen Produce

I’m a huge fan of frozen fruits and veggies. The biggest reason?  No food waste!  They’re available for use in your freezer whenever you’re in need, and there’s no concern about them spoiling.  (I don’t know about you, but sometimes my eyes can be bigger than my stomach when it comes to fresh produce!)

I shared the below slides on my Instagram illustrating my favorite frozen produce to keep in the freezer whenever my day is in need of a little extra color.  These are, of course, not the only 6 items I buy, but they are the staples that I find to be the most versatile, flavorful, and easily accessible!

Some extra good news?  Frozen produce is nutritionally very similar to fresh!  That’s because it’s frozen right at the peak of freshness!

(Be sure to follow me over on Instagram!  You can click HERE for my page.)

One last frozen produce tip: Stock your freezer with a handful of options before you travel! That way, when you return home, you have some colorful choices waiting for you (without the concern of them going bad while you’re away).


Lots of my smoothie recipes use frozen produce! Check some of them out here!

Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Oats

If somehow you’ve never enjoyed oats before, these Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Oats will convert you after one bite! They’re the perfect combination of dessert-y yet nutrient-dense. They’re also thick and creamy, have loads of added texture from the toppings, and can be whipped up in under 5 minutes!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Quick Oats

+ Around 1 cup water for the oats

1 Packet NibMor Hot Cocoa

1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (I used nonfat)

1 Banana

1 Tablespoon Hemp Hearts

Around 2 Tablespoons Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Cook up the oats with water (I use the microwave)

Stir in the hot cocoa packet

Stir in the yogurt until creamy and evenly combined

Slice up the banana and add it on top along with the hemp hearts and chocolate chips

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Coconut Lime Ice Pops

On hot summer days, nothing hits the spot like a delicious lineup of icy drinks and snacks to keep yourself cool.  These refreshing and creamy Coconut Lime Ice Pops by my husband are the perfect treat to beat the heat!  The ingredients take only moments to whisk together.

(These pops are not overly sweet as a personal preference, but could be very easily adjusted to have more sweetness if desired!)

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

13.5 oz Coconut Milk

1/3 Cup Shredded Coconut

1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (approx. 4 medium limes)

Zest of 2 Limes

2 1/2 Tbsp Agave Syrup

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions: 

Whisk all the ingredients together and pour into ice pop molds

(Whisk between each mold pour to prevent settling)

Freeze until solid (about 8 hours)

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Fruit & Chocolate Ice Cream Smoothie

Falling in between a lighter milkshake and a decadent smoothie, this sweet treat only requires 4 ingredients and makes for such a satisfying snack on a hot summer day!  It’s thick and creamy while frozen and icy at the same time, all while packing a nutritional punch with lots of vitamins, protein, and fiber. (For additional creaminess, feel free to substitute a higher fat greek yogurt if that’s your preference!)

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1 Cup (5 oz) Frozen Strawberries

1 Frozen Banana

1/2 Cup Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cup Cold Water

1 Packet Nibmor Traditional Hot Cocoa (dry)

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients other than the cocoa into the blender and blend until smooth

Add in the cocoa and blend again until well mixed

Serve and enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Easy Vegan Fruit & Seed Smoothie

This 4-ingredient snack couldn’t be easier to make!  Keeping a stash of a variety of frozen fruit in the freezer is so helpful when creating smoothies on a whim.  I love combining handfuls of it with some sunflower seed butter and water which beautifully blends into a sweet, creamy, and refreshing snack that just so happens to be vegan and gluten free!

This is a snack-size portion, but if you were looking for more of a meal you could easily double the measurements.  I love drinking this as a side with a sandwich at lunch, or as a mid-afternoon bite.  It’s one of my favorite ways to add a couple extra servings of fruit into my day!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1 Large Frozen Banana (sliced before freezing to ease blending)

12 Frozen Dark Cherries

2 Large Frozen Strawberries

2 Tbsp Sunbutter

2/3 Cup Water

Directions:

Blend and enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!