Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 220 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup of milk
• Lime Curd
• Lime glaze
• 0.5 cup crushed graham crackers
• Lime wedges for garnish

Lime Curd

• 5 large egg yolks
• A pinch of fine salt
• 110 g unsalted butter, diced
• 0.5 tsp grated lime zest
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup freshly squeezed or store-bought lime juice

Lime glaze

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 80 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 0.5 cups condensed milk with sugar
• 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed or store-bought lime juice
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lime zest, and salt. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then whisk in half of the milk. Repeat the process, finishing with the flour. Knead until smooth, without over-beating.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners, filling them two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18–22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Assembly:
   
   Pour the lime curd into a 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) piping bottle. Fill the cupcakes with the curd by inserting the tip into the top and squeezing it in (about 2 tablespoons at a time); the cupcakes will become heavier and the curd will begin to ooze out of the piping hole.
6. Stir the lime glaze and dip the top of each cupcake into it. Let any excess glaze drip back into the bowl.
7. Roll the edges of each cupcake in crushed graham crackers and place on a serving platter. Garnish with a lime wedge, if desired.
8. Lime Curd:
   
   In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, lime juice, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes, or until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 165°F (71°C) on a candy thermometer.
9. Remove the curd from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring until fully incorporated. Add the lime zest and cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface of the curd.
10. Let the lime curd cool completely, about 1 hour.
11. Lime glaze:
    
    Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the lime juice and vanilla. Mixing on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.