Key Lime Ginger Mini Cupcakes Food

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a 12-muffin tin with liners.
• To a bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until light and pale using an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until mixed. Add the milk, key lime, zest and juice, beat until well mixed.
• Add the flour, baking powder and salt a little at a time and beat on low until well mixed and smooth. Don't overmix once you add the flour. If the mix is too thick, add a little more milk. You want a pourable consistency, but not too runny.
• Use an ice cream scoop to add divide the batter between all the cups, a little over halfway filled.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden. When a toothpick inserted in the center it should come out clean.
• Remove from the oven and cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.
• For the frosting:
• Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Slowly add powdered sugar while beating. Add lime juice zest. Don't overmix or it will be too soft to pipe.
• To get the two-tone piping, transfer 2 tablespoons of the frosting to a separate bowl and mix with the green and yellow coloring until it is lime green.
• Refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes to make it firm for piping
• Add the piping tip of choice to a piping bag (I used a start tip). Hold the tip and turn the bag inside out over your hand, paste the green frosting to the side of the bag, close to the tip. Use a separate spoon to add the white frosting to the other side of the bag. Whatever ratio you use, you want more white than green. Pipe onto the cupcakes.

MINI KEY LIME CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray the bottoms of 24 cupcake-size silicon molds with cooking spray (or two 12-cup muffin pans) and place them on a baking sheet.
• To make the crust, in a small mixing bowl, stir together the crumbs, sugar and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each mold. Set aside.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sugar, lime zest, lime juice, cornstarch and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crusts. Bake until the tops are lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, to make the sauce, process the raspberries, sugar and lime zest in a food processor or blender until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour before drizzling over the cheesecake and serving.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. In a food processor, pulse together graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until mixture holds together when squeezed. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons crumb mixture into each liner and press firmly using the bottom of a lightly oiled shot glass or small bowl. Bake until set, 5 to 7 minutes; cool completely. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Using an electric mixer, beat together remaining 1 cup butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, at least 8 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition, and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and zest. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with sour cream and beating until just incorporated.
• Divide batter among cups, filling each about three-quarters full; tap pans on countertop once to evenly distribute batter. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 26 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Frost with 2 heaping tablespoons key lime frosting; top with lime zest.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Whisk both flours in a medium bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled). Beat in flour in 3 additions, alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Spoon scant 1/3 cup batter into each liner.
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool.
• To Make the frosting: Beat all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Spread frosting over cupcakes.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the lime curd: Combine the granulated sugar, egg and egg yolk, lime juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a little at a time, until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in the lime zest and salt. Set in a larger bowl of ice and stir until the curd is completely cool. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Pulse the wafer cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; add to the processor and pulse until the mixture comes together. Press about 1 tablespoon crumbs into each muffin cup.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the remaining 10 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, lime zest and juice and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and mix until combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove to a rack; let cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high; add the sour cream, lime juice and salt and beat until fluffy, 2 more minutes.
• Place the lime curd in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake and squeeze to fill. Frost the cupcakes, then pipe more lime curd on top. Top with lime slices and zest.
• Cook's Note: Key limes are smaller and more tart than regular limes. If you can't find them, look for bottled Key lime juice and use regular lime zest.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES WITH KEY LIME CURD

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line cupcake or muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside in a bowl.
• In the bowl of electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes. Then scrape down the bowl and add the eggs one at a time. After adding all the eggs, scrape down bowl and add the milk and dry ingredients. Mix on low until well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again and hike up from low speed to medium speed for about 20 seconds, and then scrape down the bowl for the last time.
• Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the cupcakes after 12 minutes, and bake until the cupcakes are baked through. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the frosting: Sift the powdered sugar and set aside in a bowl.
• In the bowl of electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on low speed. Scrape down the bowl and add the sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Slowly add the key lime juice and zest until well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix on low speed. Then hike up to medium to high speed for about 2 minutes until creamy and fluffy.
• For the curd: Whisk the eggs, sugar and key lime juice in a steel bowl and set aside while you prepare a double boiler.
• Put a small pot half full with water on the stove over medium to high heat. Place the steel bowl with the whisked eggs on top of the pot and mix with a spatula until your mixture has become creamy like sour cream, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the mixture and strain, getting rid of excess egg particles. Grab a second steel bowl and dump your egg mixture inside, adding your zest and cold butter. Mix until well incorporated and place in the fridge until it slightly thickens, 10 to 15 minutes (or until desired consistency is achieved).
• Hollow out the middle of the cooled cupcakes with an apple corer or melon ball scooper and set aside. Fill the cupcakes with the curd. Put the frosting into a pastry bag and cut 1/2-inch off the tip. Swirl on the frosting, and then edge the sides in pop rock candies.

MINI KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup Key lime juice and the food color; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place 24 of the paper baking cups in each of 24 regular size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin cup, using about half of the batter. (Muffin cups will be about one-third full.) Refrigerate remaining batter. Bake 11 to 15 minutes (14 to 20 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining baking cups and batter. Cool cupcakes completely, about 15 minutes.
• Remove paper baking cups from cupcakes. Swirl about 2 teaspoons topping on top of each cupcake.
• Stir frosting in container 20 times. Gently stir in 1 tablespoon Key lime juice and the lime peel. Spoon frosting into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2-inch opening from bottom corner of bag. Squeeze 1 rounded teaspoonful frosting from bag onto topping. Garnish with fresh lime wedge, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

MINI KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with wire whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup lime juice and the food coloring; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Cover; refrigerate.
• Heat oven to 375* (350* for dark or nonstick pans). Place a paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon batter into each muffin cup, using about half of the batter. (Muffin cups will be about 1/3 full.) Refrigerate remaining batter. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until toothpick is inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely, about 15 minutes.
• Remove paper baking cups from cupcakes. Swirl about 2 teaspoons topping on top of each cupcake.
• Stir frosting container 20 times. Gently stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and the lime peel. Spoon frosting into a 1-quart Ziploc bag. Cut an 1/2-inch opening from bottom corner of bag. Squeeze 1 rounded teaspoonful frosting onto topping. Garnsih with fresh lime wedge, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

KEY LIME MINI CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter until blended; press onto bottoms of 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour, lime zest and juice with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon over crusts.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.

KEY LIME PIE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line one 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
• Cream the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Beat in the vanilla.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, lime zest and salt in a medium bowl. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat in half the milk. Repeat additions, ending with the flour. Beat until combined, taking care not to overmix.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins, filling the cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed gently, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tins on a rack for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tins and cool completely.
• To assemble: Pour the Key Lime Curd into a squeeze bottle with 1/4-inch opening. Fill the cupcakes with curd by inserting the tip into the top of each cupcake and squeezing a couple tablespoons of filling into each cupcake; the cupcake will feel heavier and curd may be visible as it comes up to the top of the cupcake.
• Stir the Key Lime Frosting and dip the top of each cupcake into the frosting, allowing any excess to drip off.
• Roll the edge of each cupcake in the graham cracker crumbs and place on a serving platter. Garnish with a slice of Key lime if desired.
• Whisk together the yolks, granulated sugar, lime juice and salt in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 6 minutes, or until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in the butter, one piece at a time, stirring until combined before adding the next piece. Stir in the lime zest and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the curd.
• Chill completely, about 1 hour.
• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• Beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl to combine well. Beat in the lime juice and vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well combined. Chill 30 minutes.

KEY LIME GINGER MINI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 24 cup minimuffin pan with spray or butter lightly. Open the bag of crystallized ginger and pop a few in your mouth for "cooking inspiration".
• Combine the first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Next cream the butter and sugar, next adding eggs one at a time. Eat some more crystallized ginger (mmnnnn). Add the lime juice, peel and vanilla extract and blend. The mix will appear curdled. Better eat just a few more pieces of the ginger to fuel your energy stores for the last steps. Then add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in alternating batches, starting with the flour mix.
• Spoon batter to the top of the cups of the pan and bake 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Restrain yourself from "taste testing" half the batch (try to limit to just 4 or 5:), and place them to cool on a rack.
• In the meantime, cream the cream cheese, butter, lime juice and peel, and vanilla until smooth and whisk in the powdered sugar, beating until the frosting is smooth. Lick the whisk clean and use a clean spatula to spread frosting across the tops of the remaining cooled cupcakes. Take the time to dip a clean finger in the frosting every once in awhile, just to make sure it hasn't changed for some unlikely reason. When done frosting, sprinkle what's left of the crystallized ginger on what's left of the cupcakes that actually have frosting and hide until time to serve.
• Makes 72, unless recipe is followed exactly including tasting notes.

MINIATURE SPICY KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 miniature muffin tins with miniature paper liners.
• Make the cake mix according to the package directions. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each about halfway full (about 2 teaspoons each). Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Place the muffin tins onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice. Pour the mixture into a small squeeze bottle.
• Put the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to whip to medium-stiff peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Alternatively, if you do not have a piping bag with a star tip, you can put the whipped cream into a large resealable bag and cut a corner of the bag to create your own piping bag. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To assemble, place the tip of the squeeze bottle into the center of one cupcake. Press the tip about three-quarters of the way into the cupcake and squeeze a small amount of the key lime filling into the cupcake (the filling should just come to the top of the cupcake). Repeat this step with the remaining cupcakes.
• Pipe small mounds of the whipped cream on top of each cupcake. Garnish each cupcake with a light dusting of cayenne pepper and a sprinkle of lime zest.

KEY LIME MUFFINS

Steps:

• Add the first 4 ingredients to a mixing bowl; stir to combine.
• Make a well in the center of the mixture.
• In another mixing bowl, combine the milk and remaining ingredients.
• Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir until just moistened.
• Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin cups; fill 3/4s full.
• Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Turn muffins out of pan immediately.