Key Lime Cupcakes
Description
Key lime cupcakes topped with homemade cream cheese frosting flecked with lime zest are a festive dessert for Cinco de Mayo parties.
Ingredients
•
1 (15 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix (such as Pillsbury® Classic White)
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1 cup water
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3 eggs
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1/3 cup vegetable oil
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2 tablespoons lime zest
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1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
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3 drops green food coloring
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1/2 cup butter, softened
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1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
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2 tablespoons lime zest
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
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2 tablespoons pearlized sprinkles, or as needed
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
2
Mix cake mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil together in a bowl using an electric mixer until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons lime zest, lime juice, and food coloring; mix well. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.
3
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack.
4
Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add 2 tablespoons lime zest and vanilla extract to creamed butter mixture; mix well. Mix confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, into creamed butter mixture until frosting is smooth; chill in refrigerator until frosting is thickened, about 30 minutes.
5
Spread frosting onto each cupcake and top with sprinkles.