Key Lime Coconut Cupcakes are a taste of summer sunshine. With bright lime and coconut flavors in the moist cupcake and a lime cream cheese frosting on top, you’ll want to devour these treats!

Shocking News Flash: Autumn is not here yet.

Despite the attempts from the retail giants to make you believe crisp weather, falling leaves, and carved pumpkins are right on the horizon, I’m here to tell you they aren’t. Yes, children may be back in school putting an end to the summer vacation season, but is it fall? Nope, still not yet.

And even though the town I currently reside in is throwing a Fall Festival on September 18th, it still wont be fall. So save yourself the excitement, we’ve got a few weeks to go yet.

Fall arrives on September 22nd. So stop trying to lure me in with your comforting fall candles, warm cozy sweaters and fashionable boots. I’m not giving in.  Most of all, I will not start cooking like its fall! I refuse. We get like 12 months of winter here so I savor my summer recipes. I wont let them go! Not yet, anyway. And you can’t make me.

On that note, I’m sharing my summery recipe for key lime coconut cupcakes. Because I can. And because I’m confident that you’ll love them.

Key Lime Coconut Cupcakes are a taste of summer sunshine. With bright lime and coconut flavors in the moist cupcake and a lime cream cheese frosting on top, you'll want to devour these treats! | Recipe from passthesushi.com

 

Key Lime Coconut Cupcakes

Adapted from Foodnetwork.com

For the Cupcakes:

  • ¾ lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 c sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbs key lime zest
  • 1 1/2 Tbs key lime juice
  • 3 c flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 c light coconut milk
  • 1 c sweetened shredded coconut

For the Frosting:

  • 1 (80z) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teas almond extract
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 2/3 cups confectioners sugar

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla, key lime zest, and key lime juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the coconut milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, almond extract and lime. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut or lime zest.

 

I had originally set out to make what I thought was key lime bars, but aparently I only glazed the recipe, as it was Lemon Lime Bars. Not Key Lime. Upon further reading of the recipe, I learned my current kitchen was not equipped to pull it off. I promised someone some goodies though, so key lime coconut cupcakes it was.

7 Comments

  1. This looks yummy, and combines 2 of my favorite flavors. How many cupcakes does this make? Two dozen? I might have to try these this weekend.

    You might like the Key Lime Bars in a Coconut Crust from King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. They’re messy but delicious. And easy, if I remember correctly. (I have a different idea of what’s easy than most people, but I’m pretty sure they were quick to put together.)

    Stopping by from SITS. Thanks for the inspiration!

    1. This made 24 cupcakes for me. But I only had 22 liners. Really, how does that happen? I have some of the King Arthur cookbooks on my ‘wish list.’ 🙂 Ill have to try them when I get the chance! Hope you like the cupcakes when you try them!

  2. Methinks you didn’t separate all the liners. My father in law loves my coconut cake, and he’ll be here Sunday. I’m going to have to make these this weekend.

    I love your site. I’m a designer in my real job, too, and my husband’s a comic geek, so we’ve got lots in common. If you’re ever in South Carolina, look me up!

    1. Wordpress ate my reply to this >.< I hope the cupcakes went over well with your father in law if you got around to them! I will look you up if Im ever in SC 😀 Havent been there in years!

  3. Unplanned Cooking says:

    I don’t know why I’ve resigned myself to fall when it’s not even here yet. Might as well enjoythe last of summer!

  4. looks yummy! interesting frosting with the almond extract. will have to try!

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