Ode to Irish Authors: St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

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For 'tis green, green, green, where the ruined towers are gray,
And it's green, green, green, all the happy night and day;
Green of leaf and green of sod, green of ivy on the wall,
And the blessed Irish shamrock with the fairest green of all.
 

~Mary Elizabeth Blake

I'm not usually drawn to green things.  Anything the color of amphibians or nauseated individuals is usually way down on my list of favorite hues.  But I also have to remember that "green" is the color of an Irish hillside, dewy clover, and Leprechaun tights.  I guess green has its virtues after all.

Green also happens to be the dominant color of these oh-so-blimey-limey-luscious cupcakes.  I got this recipe several years ago from Bon Appetit and it never fails to please.  

(Just ask my husband who got his "goo-goo eyes" on as soon I was done frosting them. )

  

Key Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients

    •    1 cup all purpose flour
    •    3/4 cup self-rising flour
    •    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    •    1 1/4 cup sugar
    •    2 large eggs
    •    2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    •    1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
    •    1/4 teaspoon neon-green food coloring
    •    3/4 cup buttermilk

Frosting

    •    1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
    •    1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    •    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    •    1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
    •    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Whisk both flours in medium bowl. Beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled). Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Spoon scant 1/3 cup batter into each liner. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool. For the frosting, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

 

After frosting your cupcakes, simply roll the edges in some green sprinkles and 

garnish with a lime wedge for a touch of Irish charm. 

I hope these little num nums bring you the taste of springtime, the luck of Ireland, 

and the thoughts of everything good that is green . . .

Happy Wednesday!


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