I ain’t dandy-lyin’ when I say I have a new favorite springtime cupcake flavor: gluten free key lime. They are light, springy, and full of lime flavor. Between the fresh squeezed lime juice in the cupcakes and also in the cream cheese frosting, these are some of the most refreshing cupcakes I’ve ever tried. I wanted a vibrant color palette to go along with my lime-colored cakes, so I decided to pipe some fun and super colorful flowers on top with a different technique than a standard petal tip. Sometimes I am all oopsie and no daisy, but luckily, these cupcakes turned out exactly how I’d hoped…which is great because I’ve been known to have a violet streak when things don’t go as planned. However, everything is a-bouquet, and these cupcakes are truly sublime. Read on to get the quick recipe and piping tutorial video!
Gluten free key lime cupcakes
Soft, zesty lime cupcakes with lime cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
CAKE*One box of Krusteaz gluten free yellow cake mix
*113 g (1/2 cup) fat free plain Greek yogurt
*1 cup fat free or skim milk
*1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 large limes)
*1 tsp lime zest
*3 eggs
*Lime gel dye
FROSTING
*224 grams (8 ounces) of 1/3 the fat cream cheese, softened
*225 grams (1 cup) of fat free Greek yogurt, strained overnight
*16 ounces (4 cups) Lakanto powdered monkfruit
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*1/4 tsp citric acid
*2 TBS freshly squeezed lime juice
*1 TBS milk, if needed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line two muffin tins with 18 wrappers.
- Mix the eggs, lime zest, lime juice, yogurt, and milk in a stand mixer on medium with the whisk attachment until the mixture gets frothy.
- Add the cake mix and a few drops of lime gel dye and switch to the paddle attachment; blend on medium until everything comes together.
- Pour batter evenly into liners and bake for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the center.
- Allow cupcakes to cool fully before frosting.
- To make frosting, whip cream cheese and yogurt with a paddle attachment on medium-high for 3 minutes before adding in half the powdered monkfruit, 1 TBS lime juice, and the extract, mixing well.
- Add in remaining monkfruit and 1 TBS lime juice, mixing well. If frosting is too stiff, add 1 TBS milk.
- To pipe the flowers, you will need to split the frosting up into three bowls: dye one bowl lime, another purple, and another sky blue (you can choose whatever colors you’d like, really! Bright and fun are the way to go.).
- Place the colors you want to use for the petals into piping bags fitted with #12 round tips; place the lime green frosting into a bag with a #1, 2, or 3 round tip.
- Pipe six blobs/mounds of one color on top of one cupcake in a circle, close to the edges of the cupcake.
- Using the back of a small spoon or angled spatula, push into the top of one blob, pulling down into the center of the cupcake to create a petal; repeat on the remaining 5 mounds of frosting on the cupcake; wipe the back of the spoon or spatula clean with a paper towel in between each cupcake, especially if changing petal colors.
- Once you’ve piped the petals, take the lime green frosting and pipe little dots in the center of the flower for the stamen.
- Repeat on all cupcakes, then devour! You will most likely have quite a bit of leftover frosting; this can be kept in airtight containers and put in the freezer for future use.
- Keep leftovers covered and in the fridge. Cupcakes are best served at room temp, so remove from the fridge 30-45 minutes before eating. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Macros18 servings
142 cal/27 c/2.2 f/3.5 p per cupcake
Kate Bakes Cakes 