Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

I made some baby shower cupcakes last week, and found a couple new recipes to add to my blog. I made pink lemonade cupcakes which I posted previously, and to go along with the pink, and the lemonade, I decided to try cherry limeade. I found the Sprinkles Key Lime Cupcake recipe, and topped it with cherry frosting. I really like Sprinkles cupcakes because they are very dense and nothing like a boxed mix. Zesting key limes was interesting. They are so tiny I was sure I was going to zest my fingers!

Key Lime Cupcakes
Sprinkles
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBSPs key lime juice, divided
1 TBSP key lime zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Toothpick or skewer

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, key lime zest and 1 tbsp of lime juice; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
4. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
5. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely.
6. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke the tops of the cupcakes with holes. Use pastry brush to brush remaining lime juice over the top of the cupcake.

Let cupcakes dry slightly before topping with frosting.

Cherry Frosting
1 stick salted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
8 maraschino cherries, chopped small enough to fit through piping tip
2 TBSPs of juice from a jar of maraschino cherries
4 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and shortening together, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add maraschino cherries and juice; beat until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beat on med/high speed until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes and top with a cherry.

*Tip take the cherries you will be using for chopping and garnish out of the jar ahead of time and place them on a paper towel so the excess liquid can drain off.