Zesty Key Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Key Lime Cupcakes are light, moist, tangy, and sweet, with lime zest and key lime juice in both the cake and the frosting. This citrusy cupcake is easy to make from scratch with basic ingredients—perfect for warm days or any time you want a bright, refreshing dessert.

Citrus lovers will appreciate these tangy, refreshing cupcakes. The recipe uses lime zest and key lime juice to deliver true lime flavor, and the cake remains tender and moist. They’re straightforward to prepare and bake quickly, so you’ll be enjoying them in no time.

Ode to Limes

I try not to play favorites among citrus fruits, but limes are at the top of my list. Their bright, tangy flavor is uplifting and pairs beautifully with sweet desserts.

Limes are especially festive for St. Patrick’s Day because of their green color, but key lime cupcakes also feel perfect for summer—evoking sunshine and the beach. The cake itself bakes a pale, buttery color; use green liners and a lime wedge for a festive look.

Key Lime Juice

The defining ingredient is key lime juice. True key limes are small—about the size of a quarter—but their flavor is only subtly different from regular limes. If you can find fresh key limes, zest before cutting and juicing. Because fresh key limes are tiny, many bakers find it easier to use bottled key lime juice for convenience and consistent flavor.

If you use regular limes for zest and a bottled key lime juice for the juice, you’ll still get excellent, bright flavor.

Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

A creamy key lime cream cheese frosting complements the cupcakes perfectly. This frosting blends cream cheese and butter with powdered sugar, key lime juice, and lime zest. It’s rich but not overly sweet, so the tart lime notes remain prominent.

If the frosting is soft, chilling it briefly makes it easier to pipe. For taller piping, consider increasing the frosting quantity by about 1.5 times.

Key Lime Cupcakes

These cupcakes are dangerously good—light, tangy, and sweet. You might find yourself indulging in more than one. They travel well, too; bring a batch to a gathering and they’ll disappear fast.

If you love citrus, these cupcakes are a must-try. The balance of tart key lime and creamy frosting makes each bite bright and satisfying.

More Lime Recipes

• Brazilian Lemonade Recipe (Limeade)
• Key Lime Pie
• Coconut Lime Crinkle Cookies
• Lime Bars
• Key Lime Cookies
• Twisted Sugar Cookie Recipe
• Coconut Key Lime Pie
• Coconut Lime Ice Cream
• Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
• Key Lime Poke Cake
• Coconut Lime Poke Cake
• Lime Cookies with glaze

4.41 from 45 ratings

Key Lime Cupcakes

Created by
Amber Brady

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Inactive Time 30 mins

Total: 1 hr

Key Lime Cupcakes are light, moist, tangy, and sweet, with zest and key lime juice in both the cake and frosting.

16 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (118 ml) oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup (80 g) key lime juice (bottled is fine)
• 4 tsp lime zest (about two regular limes)
• ½ cup (118 g) buttermilk*

Frosting:

• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
• ½ cup (113 g) butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 1 Tbsp key lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest (about half a lime)
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar

Equipment

• Cupcake pans
• Paper liners
• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer or whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (or 400°F for high altitude). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the oil and granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in the key lime juice and lime zest.
• Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl as needed and mix until just combined—do not overmix. Fill each liner 2/3 full.
• Bake at 375°F (or 400°F high altitude) for 15–20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched or a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the butter until well blended. Add key lime juice and lime zest and scrape the bowl. Add powdered sugar all at once and mix until just combined. Chill the frosting 30 minutes if it seems too soft, then pipe or spread on cupcakes. (If piping tall swirls, multiply the frosting by 1.5.)

Notes

• 1 lime yields about 2 tsp lime zest.
• Make a quick buttermilk substitute: combine ½ cup milk with 1 tsp key lime juice, stir, and let sit 5 minutes before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcake | Calories: 270 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 38 mg | Sodium: 172 mg | Sugar: 27 g

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

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*Originally published 2/24/13. Updated 2/10/21.