Key Lime Cupcakes

I've been thinking for a while what the perfect dessert would be for my birthday. I know, silly and maybe a bit selfish, but I can't help LOVING my birthday.

When I made those Key Lime Bars a few weeks back, I had the idea of Key Lime Cupcakes. The recipe was growing in my head like a virus, and then... what do you know... someone posted a recipe on Sweet As Sugar Cookies. I was a little devastated that someone got to do the honors before me, but why should that stop me from being creative? Plus, I would have never thought to use Lime Jell-O!


Oh, yes. This is exciting!

Ingredients:

- 1 box of Lime Jell-O
- 2 1/4 C Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
- 3 1/2 TSP Baking Powder
- 3/4 C Sugar
- 1/2 C Butter or Margarine, softened (1 stick)
- 1/4 C Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/3 C Key Lime Juice
- 3/4 C Water


Directions:

- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the Jell-O, flour, and baking powder. Set aside.

- In a large bowl, whip the butter until nice and soft. Then add the sugar, mixing until well blended. Next add the oil, eggs, and vanilla (all separate).

- Squeeze some key limes (I had to use six) until you get 1/3 C of juice. Then add it to your wet mixture.

- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in thirds. Add 1/3 of mixture, then 1/4 C of water, until you have completely mixed it all in.

- Fill the pan holes about 2/3rds of the way full.

- Bake in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and let them cool before applying frosting!

For the frosting I used my own Cream Cheese Frosting from my Red, White, & Blue Cake.

I got to use my fabulous new gizmo called a cupcake-corer from Williams-Sonoma.

I topped some of them with only powdered sugar because I was afraid of too much frosting. However, I discovered that wasn't possible (in my opinion, of course).

(Inspiration for this recipe came from Cups by Kim.)

Enjoy!