Key Lime Cupcakes

Key lime juice brings bold citrus flavor to cupcakes topped with both glaze and frosting.

Ingredients

1

Heat oven to 350° F (180°C) (325°F/160°C for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
2

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. With toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places.
3

In small bowl, mix 1 cup icing sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons (30 to 40 mL) lime juice until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle and spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and 3 1/2 cups (825 mL) powdered icing sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Frost cupcakes, mounding and swirling frosting in centre. Garnish with lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

You can use fresh or bottled Key lime juice. If Key lime juice is not available, use regular fresh or bottled lime juice
Garnish each cupcake with a small piece of jellied lime candy slice instead of the lime peel. If you have only one pan and a recipe calls for more cupcakes than your pan will make, cover and refrigerate the rest of the batter while baking the first batch. Cool the pan about 15 minutes, then bake the rest of the batter, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.