Key Lime Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

Cupcake Palooza 2016 Day 2

Last year I tried to do lime cupcakes and it was a dismal failure. I threw away 12 dozen cupcakes that night. I've stewed about it all year long and this was what I came up with. It was a hit. The cake did stick to the liners more than other flavors because of the sugar content in the lime juice but overall, it was a success and was received well.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream
24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 white cake mix
1/2 c. lime juice
1/2 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 c. flour
1 can key lime pie filling or lime curd

1. Mix cake mix, milk, oil, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in mixer until combined. Mix on med-high speed for 2 minutes
2. Put 1/4 c. batter in cupcake liners
3. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes
4. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks
5. When cupcakes are cool, core and set cores aside
6. Fill cupcakes with 2 tsp of filling and replace the cake core on top. You might have to kind of squish to get it back on. That's ok.

Frosting
1 cup room temp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
6 T lime juice
2 lbs approximately powdered sugar

1. Cream butter, vanilla and salt together. 
2. Alternate adding powdered sugar and lime juice until the frosting is the desired consistency. 
3. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring if you want green frosting. It's totally not necessary if you choose to cut it out.
4. Pipe onto cupcakes.