Upside Down Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

Lime cupcakes with a graham cracker crust, filled with lime curd and topped with graham cracker frosting and a sugared lime slice

 

I had a few limes lying around and decided to make some key lime pie cupcakes for a neighbor's barbeque. I couldn't find a recipe though that sounded quite right to me so I pieced a few together and came up with this. Let me just say--sooo good! I'm not a big fan of lime but these were so refreshing--the perfect combo of tart and sweet. I didn't quite thicken the curd enough so it was a bit runny but the flavor was amazing!

 

For the graham cracker crust, mix 1 cup crushed graham crackers with 3 tbsp melted butter and 3 tbsp sugar. Press into the bottom of 12-15 cupcake liners and bake at 325 for 10 minutes. In the mean time, prepare your cupcake batter.

CUPCAKES
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream •
Heat oven to 350
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed 5 to 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lime peel and 1 teaspoon lime juice.
• In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• At low speed, beat sour cream into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture.
• Spoon batter into muffin pan, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

LIME CURD

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 eggs, beaten

• Place the sugar, butter, lime juice, lime zest in the top of a double boiler; stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Mix 2 tablespoons hot lime mixture into the eggs and stir to blend.
• Reduce heat to medium until water simmers. Slowly whisk egg mixture into the lime mixture. Cook over the double boiler until lime mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and spoon into a clean, glass jar. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.

GRAHAM CRACKER FROSTING

• 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 C finely crushed graham crackers soaked in 1 cup heavy cream

• In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Mix in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Note: You can add more if you prefer a stiffer consistency.
• Mix in vanilla extract.
• Fold in graham crackers.
• Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes