If your response to the first picture is, “Ewwwwwwww!”, don’t worry you’re not alone. The oh-so-picky one (surprise, surprise) had the same reaction and refused to taste it. My advice…don’t judge a batter by its color! The recipe calls for green food coloring and when I came upon the bright neon bottle in my cake decorating kit, I couldn’t resist. My reaction was not ”Ewwwww!”, but a sudden flashback to 6th grade, I do believe I had a sweatshirt this exact shade during the horrid, fluorescent color fad. I often wonder if there are storage units filled with neon sweatshirts that weren’t sold in the 80′s, with owners just waiting for this fad to come back. (If you are the owner of these unsold pieces, please, please don’t…I’m going back to teaching in the classroom in the fall and don’t think I can handle the sight of thirty green, yellow, and pink 10 year- olds.).

Frighteningly, the fad may be making a comeback by Marc Jacobs, of all people. For only $430.00 you can be the owner of this handbag. Now that’s going to get you some attention!

The purse…not sure about. The neon batter, I love it! It’s eye-catching and intriguing, and tastes pretty darn good too. These cupcakes are perfect for summer. The key limes provide just enough zing without being over the top. And the cream cheese icing seals the deal. Go ahead, you know you want to try it!

Key Lime Cupcakes

(Published in Bon Appetit, Recipe by Buttersweet Bakery) 

CUPCAKES

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

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 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 until tested inserted comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool.

Frosting

Beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

Notes: I hate making more than one trip to the grocery a week. If a recipe calls for something I don’t have on hand, I usually google it to see if I can substitute something. Also I refer to this list of common substitutions.

* out of self-rising flour? 1 cup self rising flour equals 

1 c. all purpose flour + 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder + 1/8 tsp. salt

* no buttermilk? (you need milk under 1 c. and 1 tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar)

1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.

2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.

3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.