Key Lime Pie Cupcakes
Show-stopping Key Lime Cupcakes are packed with sweet citrus flavor! They’re stuffed with a creamy key lime pie filling and topped with lime cream cheese frosting.
Key Lime Cupcakes
If you love key lime pie then these cupcakes are a must-try! They have all the flavors of the classic pie, in a handheld cupcake form!
We started with a light and fluffy from-scratch cupcake that is infused with a pudding-like key lime pie filling. We also hid a surprise inside each cupcake: gorgeous slices of bright green key limes! Finally, we topped these beautiful cupcakes with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Key lime flavor is imparted into every bit of this recipe: from the lime zest in the cupcakes to the lime juice in the frosting. These are a lime-lovers dream and perfect for summer!
Related: For another pie-inspired cupcake recipe, try our Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!
Ingredients
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This recipe includes directions to make every part of it from scratch. There are time-saving tips in the FAQ section later in the post.
For the Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup cake flour, sifted
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup of fresh key lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated lime zest
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounce package of cream cheese – softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 Tablespoon key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated lime zest
For the Key Lime Filling:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 eggs yolks, beaten
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
Kitchen Supplies Used
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Stand mixer or electric mixer and large mixing bowl
- Frosting decorating bag — We love these reusable silicone piping bags because you can wash and use them over and over again. A star tip makes those gorgeous icing swirls that you see at fancy bakeries.
- Carrot Peeler — For making white chocolate curls to decorate the top of your cupcakes
Instructions
You’ll need at least an hour to make these cupcakes. They are worth the effort though! Part of this time is waiting for the cupcakes to cool completely before filling and frosting them.
To Make Key Lime Filling:
Combine the sweetened condensed milk, beaten egg yolks, sugar, and key lime juice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens — about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool while you make the rest of the cupcakes. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools. When the filling is room temperature, move to the fridge to chill.
To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, key lime juice, key lime zest, milk, and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, sift together the two flours, then stir in the baking powder and salt.
Gradually pour the bowl of dry ingredients to bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.
Place cupcake liners in muffin tins, and scoop the cupcake batter into each cup so that they are 3/4 of the way full.
Bake 15 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the cupcakes are golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
To Make the Frosting:
Using your electric mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add the key lime juice, vanilla and lime zest, and mix until combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar in small intervals, mixing as you go.
TIP: If the frosting seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more lime juice.
Cover the bowl of icing and keep in the refrigerator until time to frost the cupcakes.
To Fill and Decorate:
When the cupcakes are cool, scoop out a small indention in the middle of each cupcake. You want it to be wide enough to fit a thin slice of key lime.
When centers are removed, cut up a couple of the key limes in extra thin slices, and place one slice in the center of each cupcake. Fill the rest of the space in the middle of each cupcake with the key lime filling.
Take the frosting out of the fridge and scoop into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting on the cupcakes, working from the base, swirling around the cupcake and to a point.
We topped our cupcakes with white chocolate curls and key lime slices. Grated lime zest would also be very pretty!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Difference Between Key Limes and Regular Limes?
Key Limes are about one third the size of a regular lime and have a milder, sweet flavor. They’re picked when they’re green, but turn yellow when ripe.
The limes you see at the grocery store and think of as “limes” are called Persian limes. They are larger and more sour than key limes. That’s why key limes are often used in baked goods, where regular limes might be too tart.
Where Can You Find Key Lime Juice?
Look for Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice at your local grocers, in the baking aisle. If you can’t find it, just ask one of the store clerks. It might be with the juices, or on the Isle where the drink mixes are. This is the best Key Lime Juice you can buy; I grew up in Florida, so trust me on this one!
Can You Eat Key Lime Peels?
You may notice in the middle of the cupcakes there are key lime slices, peel and all. Lime rinds are edible, so no worries there! The outer rind itself is full of flavor, but the white “pith” can be bitter, which is why people don’t often eat the peels.
However, key limes have a thin layer of pith, so it does not overpower the rest of the fruit. When thinly sliced, these key lime wheels are a delicious surprise in the middle of the cupcakes!
Can You Use Store-bought Frosting?
If you’re looking for ways to save time, you may be wondering if you can use store-bought cream cheese icing. Yes, you can absolutely use canned cream cheese frosting!
However, if you want to add the lime flavor to the frosting like we did, you’ll still need to beat it in with your electric mixer. Whipping up the frosting before using it also gives it a fluffier consistency that stays in place better on your cupcakes.
Can You Use a Cake Mix Instead?
Things always taste better from scratch, but if you want to make cupcakes that look like ours and taste almost like them, you could try a key lime cake mix.
More of Our Favorite Key Lime Desserts
Grab a free printable copy of this Key Lime Cupcakes recipe here:
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Key Lime Cupcakes
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Muffin Tins
- cupcake liners
- Carrot Peeler
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour sifted
- 1 cup cake flour sifted
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1/3 cup key lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon lime zest
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For the Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 Tablespoon key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
For the Key Lime Filling:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 egg yolks beaten
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lime juice
Instructions
To Make Key Lime Filling:
- Combine beaten egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, 3 egg yolks, sugar, and key lime juice in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens, 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Move to fridge when mixture is room temperature.
To Make the Cupcakes:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, key lime juice, lime zest, milk, and sour cream, and beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the two flour. Stir in baking powder and salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to your bowl of batter, until all ingredients have been blended.
- Place cupcake liners in muffin tins, and fill each liner 3/4 full with the cupcake batter.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the cupcakes are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool.
To Make the Frosting:
- Beat together the cream cheese ad butter until smooth.
- Mix in the key lime juice, vanilla and lime zest.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar in small intervals, until well combined and you have a thick frosting consistency.
- Chill frosting in fridge until it's time to use it.
To Fill and Decorate:
- When the cupcakes have completely cooled, cut out the center of each cupcake.
- Slice a key lime into extra thin slice and place a slice in the middle of each cupcake. Fill the rest of the middle with key lime filling that you made.
- Scoop frosting into a piping bag with star tip and frost each cupcake, starting in the center and working outwards, then back in to make a peak.
- Top with white chocolate curls or lime zest.
Notes
Nutrition
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