Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: whipped topping

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: cottage cheese

Ricotta provides a similar texture at a lower cost

Line three muffin tins with paper cupcake liners, and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the graham crackers into a ziplock bag, and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine pieces. There shouldn't be any large chunks remaining.

In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Press a large spoonful of crumbs into each lined well of the muffin tin to create a solid graham cracker crust.

Bake the crusts for 7-8 minutes until slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Beat the softened butter and sugar together on high until fluffy and light.

Add the room temperature eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk in thirds, stirring carefully until just combined.

Portion the batter evenly among the lined muffin tins, on top of the cooled graham cracker crust.

Bake for 28 minutes at 350°F, checking for doneness with a toothpick.

Let the cupcakes cool in their tins for about ten minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

In a double boiler, combine sugar, lime juice, lime zest, and egg yolks, whisking until the mixture thickens and reaches 140°F.

Bloom the gelatin in cold water for a few minutes, then add to the curd mixture along with butter, whisking until dissolved.

Cool the curd to room temperature, then refrigerate until thickened.

Remove the centers of the cooled cupcakes using a melon baller or cupcake corer, and fill with the key lime curd.

Press cake scraps back over the curd hole to create a domed top for icing.

Combine softened butter and shortening in a mixer, then gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well.

Add lime juice, zest, and vanilla to the buttercream, mixing to taste.

Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes, starting from the outer edge and moving inward.

Garnish with extra lime zest.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens