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!