Key Lime Cupcakes
Take a tropical vacation with these delicious and moist Key Lime Cupcakes topped with a key lime buttercream frosting and graham cracker crumbs!
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 510kcal
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon key lime zest (about 4 key limes)
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons key lime juice
Key Lime Frosting
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon key lime zest, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Thinly sliced half-circles of key limes, for garnish
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add sour cream, vanilla extract and and key lime zest and mix until combined.
- Mix in egg whites two at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, then add alternately with the milk and key lime juice, mixing between each addition until combined and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fill the cupcake liners about three quarters full. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the top springs back with a touch or a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat the butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar in two batches, mixing on low speed until combined.
- Add the key lime zest and 3 tablespoons of the key lime juice, mixing until combined. Add more key lime juice as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, then press graham cracker crumbs around each cupcake and sprinkle with additional key lime zest, if desired, and stick a thin slice of key lime on top for decoration.
Nutrition
Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 129mg | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 0.9mg