If you like the bitter taste and the flavors of key limes then this recipe is for you!

 

I have been wanting to make a key lime pie for while but I could not find any key limes at the market to save my life and when I found them and bought them I lost interest in making the pie…Go figure!!

So I thought what the heck am I going to do with all these key limes before they die in my refrigerator! I had no ideas…

The day I came up with this reciepe I was getting ready to bake some cupcakes for my office to take the next day and I was looking for new flavors to add; I saw the key limes and said ha? and I thought why not its worth a shot…So I came up with this delicious but kind of a weird combination of a bitter and sweet flavors…

My husband loved the flavors of the bitter and sweet combination but at work the votes on these cupcakes were a split between I love it and I am not a fan of the bitter flavor of the key lime zest but love the flavor of the cake itself…. Overall I think it was a successful recipe.

These cupcakes are sugar free without adding the ready made frosting but it is versatile and the ingredients are easily swapped.

Preheat oven to 350 F’ (177 C’)

8 oz. pure Irish butter at room temperature

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 1/2 cups of sugar substitutes or 1 1/2 cup granulate sugar

3/4 cup ground key lime juice and zest  (about 4 key limes washed, cut in half, seeds removed and pulverized in the food processor for about 3 minutes or until it is smooth)

3 extra large eggs at room temperature

4 tbsp key lime juice

2 tsp lemon extract divided

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract

1 cup coconut milk at room temperature

Frosting

1 container 10 oz of ready made vanilla flavor frosting

2 drops of green food coloring gel

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater attachment for about a minute or until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Add vanilla sugar or vanilla extract and mix for few seconds.

Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.

Add 1 tsp of lemon extract and all the key lime juice.

Add pulverized key lime and mix well.

In a separate bowl sift flour, add coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add dry ingredients alternating with coconut milk, starting and ending with the dry mixture.

Mix well for about a minute.

With two tablespoon ice cream scooper scoop the batter into a lined cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven and cool the cupcakes in the pans for about 15 minutes, remove from the pans and cool completely on cooling racks.

Carefully add food coloring gel and the remaining 1 tsp of lemon extract to the vanilla frosting and mix well, cover and store in the refrigerator until the cupcakes are completely cooled.

With a small offset spatula or decorating bag frost the cupcakes and store in the refrigerator for the frosting to set.

Serve and Enjoy!!