White Chocolate Lime Cupcakes, pretty enough for a garden wedding

Recipe Rating: Intermediate (requires an electric mixer)

Our two younger sons and their wives had a garage sale at our house this past weekend.  It took place in our garage because that’s where all their unwanted and “stored” belongings ended up over the years. It was so bad that their overflow had spilled over into our spare bedrooms. (Thank you elder son for not adding to all the clutter!)  Needless to say, the day after the sale was cause for celebration around here!  After the stuff that didn’t sell was delivered to the dump, we realized what we had long ago forgotten–our garage would actually give shelter to two vehicles! 

What’s that got to do with a cupcake recipe, you might ask?   

It has everything to do with it because thanks to the massive clean-out, I found the recipes for the wedding cupcakes I thought were hopelessly lost!  They had been hiding in a plastic storage box along with the cake decorating stuff I’d used to make them.  The storage box was under a box full of wedding candle votives that were under a stack of serving dishes that were under a sack of—-  well, you get the idea.  Anyway, I’m gonna post these darn recipes before I lose them again!

First up: White Chocolate Lime Cupcakes because (and I mean no disrespect to all the other wonderful cupcakes I’ve eaten in my lifetime) they may be the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of baking and devouring.  These babies have it all–a “come hither” aroma, beautiful presentation, great texture, incredible moistness, and a taste that makes you want to let loose  and sing praise songs to the lime-y white chocolate-y MMMMMMmmmmm-ness unleashed in your mouth. I’m telling you–It’s not just a party in there–it’s a coronation ball!  Okay, okay, I’m exaggerating just a teensy bit, but trust me, they’re GOOD!

I want one right now.  (sigh)

This cupcake started it’s life as a White Chocolate Cupcake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting on Baking Bites website.  It was good as it was, but my future daughter-in-law had her heart set on lime cupcakes. Soooo, after several failed attempts at adding lime to the original, I came up with the following “tweaked” recipe. 

First off, line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. I think I ended up with 20-22 cupcakes depending on how full I filled them.

Using a wire whisk, thoroughly combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Next,  remove the zest from 3 to 4 limes with a zester or the  ”fine” side of a  box grater. 

You’ll need  1 1/2 tsp zest for the cake and another 2 teaspoons  for the frosting.  Set aside.

Juice the limes to get 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 T. for the cupcakes and up to 1 T. for the frosting, and set aside.  I used a great little electric juicer purchased at Walmart for $10.00.  You can also use a hand juicer or your hand.  Whatever you do, please DO NOT use the concentrated lime  juice you can buy in those cute little lime shaped bottles at the grocery store.  Use fresh limes. Your taste buds will thank you!

Break off 5, 1 ounce blocks of white baker’s chocolate.  Aren’t they pretty?  Reminds me of butter that has been hardened in old fashioned butter molds.  This particular brand is, yep, you guessed it, “Baker’s”!

Coarsely chop the chocolate and place 4 ounces  into a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside the remaining 1 ounce for the icing.

Melt the 4 ounces of white chocolate in the microwave by heating in 20-30 second increments on high. Melting the chocolate slowly is absolutely necessary! If you heat it for any longer than that at a time, you will end up with a chalky inedible mess. I know this because I had to throw out my first batch of chocolate when I tried to hurry this step.  Stir well with a fork between intervals. The chocolate should be smooth and creamy.  Leave in the microwave til needed.

Put 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of your mixer (you can use a hand mixer) and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 large room temperature eggs, one at a time,  followed by the 4 ounces melted white chocolate, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lime juice  and 1 1/2 teaspoons  lime zest. (Sorry!  I forgot to photograph this step!)

Add in the flour mix and 1 cup of  room temperature milk by alternating back and forth between the two, starting and ending with flour.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl occassionally.  Mix just until everything is combined.  The batter will be  sort of drippy.

Fill the muffin cups 1/2 full.

Much fuller than that and you run the risk of getting this…

…when what you really want is this.

What can I say–it’s an art!  Not to worry though!  Even if you do overfill the muffin tins, the cupcakes are still fixable.  Cut them away from the pan with a sharp knife and add lots of  frosting!  Frosting covers a multitude of sins! 

Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake  for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in the centers of the cupcakes comes out clean.  Do not overbake!  Let the pans cool for a few minutes and then remove the individual cupcakes (liners in tow)  to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING

Annnddd I forgot to take photos of this process.   The good news is that it’s really easy!

Sift 4 cups confectioners sugar into a large bowl.  (Measure out 4 cups of sugar and THEN sift it.) Set aside.

Tip # 1: If a recipe says,  1 cup flour, sifted,  that means first measure out 1 cup flour– then sift it.  If a recipe says 1 cup sifted flour, that means first sift some flour and then measure out 1 cup. I used flour as an example but this applies to ALL dry ingredients.

Tip # 2:  I rarely use a regular sifter.  Instead, I have a large mesh strainer I position directly over the bowl.  I measure the powder directly into the strainer and then jiggle to sift.  I hate cleaning a sifter :)

Melt the remaining 1 ounce of white chocolate using the directions  in the cupcake instructions and leave in the microwave til needed.

Beat  4 ounces cream cheese  (room temperature) with 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (room temperature) til well blended.  Add in the melted white chocolate, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp. lime zest and up to 1 tablespoon lime juice and mix well. (Note:  If you are going to pipe the frosting you will need a stiff batter.  Because of the acidity of the lime juice, it’s difficult to get the frosting as stiff as you want without having to add a LOT more sugar. I would suggest starting with 1 tsp lime juice.  Add in more juice AFTER you incorporate the confectioner’s sugar if the frosting is too stiff to pipe. If the lesser amount of juice in the icing doesn’t taste lime-y enough, add another teaspoon of zest. Ignore this note if you are going to spread frosting with a spatula.

Add in the confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time, and blend well after each addition. When you remove the mixer paddle the frosting should adhere to it and not fall back into the bowl if you are going to pipe it on the cupcakes. If it is too thin, beat in  more sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.

No, this isn’t a picture of the lime frosting. (the real deal has pretty little flecks of lime zest all through it. It IS a picture of the correct consistency for piping it on the cupcakes.

If you are going to use a spatula to spread the frosting, it doesn’t really matter how thick it is.  Smear it on!

For piping,  I used Wilton’s  #2110 1M open star tip purchased at Hobby Lobby or online at amazon.com HERE. It requires a large coupler (Wilton’s) that can also be purchased at Hobby Lobby or online at wilton.com HERE.  I used a 16″ disposable decorating bag purchased at Hobby Lobby or online at wilton.com HERE.  Easy instructions for the technique I used to decorate my cupcakes can be found at this link at wilton.com:  http://www.wilton.com/technique/1M-Swirl  

I added some edible pearls and edible glitter to our cupcakes to give a more festive look for the wedding.  If you are going for this look, the pearls were purchased at Walmart and the glitter was purchased at Hobby Lobby.  If you can’t find them locally, you can order them online at the confectionaryhouse.com HERE.