Mini Key Lime Cupcakes Food

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.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Spread frosting onto each cupcake and top with sprinkles.

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:

• 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:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F 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.
• Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center 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.
• In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle and spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 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 powdered sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Frost cupcakes, mounding and swirling frosting in center. Garnish with lime peel. Store covered 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 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 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 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.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 16 muffin cups with paper or foil liners., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and lime zest until blended. Beat in lime juice and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Refrigerate until serving.