Key Lime Cupcakes
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It’s Key Lime Cupcakes for you all today. They begin with a good old cake mix. Then they get an additional color and flavor from a package of lime gelatin. Next the flavor and color gets an added bonus of key lime juice. A few drops of food coloring are added too.
The cupcake itself has a larger crumb than most cakes. I believe this is due to the addition of the gelatin. They are almost more like a muffin consistency in texture. They also end up with a flat top rather than a round top. You may find that they even sink a little in the center, but don’t be alarmed.

After the key lime cupcakes cool, they get an extra punch of lime from a lime glaze. Finally, they get a finishing off with a sweet cream cheese frosting to balance out the flavors. I shared these with a few friends who all enjoyed them. My husband even enjoyed them and he isn’t a fan of key limes at all!
Ingredients to make Key Lime Cupcakes
- LEMON CAKE MIX
- LIME-FLAVORED GELATIN
- WATER
- KEY LIME JUICE
- VEGETABLE OIL
- EGGS
- GREEN FOOD COLORING
- POWDERED SUGAR
- LIGHT CREAM CHEESE
- BUTTER
- VANILLA
- FRESH LIMES

Key Lime Cupcakes
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 box 3 oz lime-flavored gelatin
- ¾ cup water
- ⅓ cup Key lime juice
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 or 3 drops green food coloring
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons Key lime juice
- 1 8 oz pkg light cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 fresh limes each cut into 6 slice and cut slice in half
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan) and line 24 regular-size muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- In large bowl, beat the cake mix, gelatin, water, juice, vegetable oil, eggs and food coloring with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake at 350 for 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack.
- Using a toothpick, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places (about 7 to 8 times per cupcake)
- In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth. Brush or spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool for 30 more minutes.
- In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar to beat until frosting is fluffy.
- Frost cupcakes. Store covered in refrigerator. Garnish with lime halves just before serving.
Adapted from Betty Crocker.