Key Lime Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

I told a friend I would make key lime cake for her. I've never eaten Key Lime cake before, but I thought it would have more of a....pop? More lime-y? It was okay. I added additional lime juice to the batter, however, the flavor was still very subtle.

If I use this recipe again, I will either add more lime zest, add lemon extract, or use lime jello like this recipe. If you have better suggestions, please leave them in the comments section.

Key Lime Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/3 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

juice and zest from 4 key limes

1/2 teaspoon green food coloring, optional

1 cup buttermilk

cream cheese frosting

3/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9 x 1-1/2-inch round cake pans.

2. In a medium bowl, with a wire whisk combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with stand or electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Mixing well after each addition.

4. Mix in key lime juice and food coloring.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Mix on low after each addition until just combined.

6. Hand stir in key lime zest. Pour into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Allow cakes to completely cool on wire racks.

8. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Use toasted pecans to decorate sides of cake.

*Trent's Notes: For cupcakes, bake for 18-20 min. Also, I skipped the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

16oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 cups confectioner's sugar

Preparation:

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Mix in lime juice.

3. Slowly mix in sugar.