Lime Cupcakes: New Recipe of the Week

I came away from our visit to Sue and Esther's American Tea Room inspired to more frequently enjoy a good cup of tea, as well as the delicacies that make a cup of tea into an "event."  I picked up the newest issue of Tea Time magazine, loaded with recipes suitable for tea parties. . .or private consumption, as the case may be.  The recipes in this magazine should keep me busy for quite some time. My first selection was Lime Cupcakes, scrumptious and not difficult to make.  


Warning:  the ingredient list is not for the faint of heart.  ;)


Lime Cupcakes


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1 T. fresh lime zest
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 recipe Lime Icing (below)


Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line 2 (12 - well) muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade, lime zest, and vanilla, beating well.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Divide batter evenly among prepared wells of muffin pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.  Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.  Place Lime Icing in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe icing onto tops of cupcakes. 


Lime Icing


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1/2 cup heavy cream


In a large bowl, beat butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade concentrate, beating well.  Gradually add cream, beating until smooth.