Turn your favorite summertime drink into dessert with these Cherry Limeade Cupcakes. Moist lime-flavored cake and decadent icing piled high make this treat irresistible.
I absolutely love this easy cupcake recipe and you can’t help but smile. Just wait until you place it on your dessert table. These cupcakes will be the star of the show.
The vibrant red icing garnished with a lime and cherry make this cupcake look like it’s from a bakery. These fabulous looking cupcakes don’t just look pretty but they are tasty too. I also love to make Cherry Almond Cupcakes and some of the Best Cherry Desserts. They are so easy that you can make them during the week for a special treat along with Snickerdoodle Cupcakes.
Table of contents
What Are Cherry Limeade Cupcakes?
Cherry Limeade cupcake is a delicious recipe that is bursting with lime flavor. The cake mix is Lime Jello Mix and then topped with a cherry flavor frosting.
They are beautiful and always a crowd favorite cupcake.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- Box White Cake Mix. Plus, ingredients on the box – eggs, oil.
- Lime Jello Mix. Store brand is fine.
Cherry Frosting
- Unsalted Butter. Room temperature butter.
- Powdered Sugar. Sift before using to remove any lumps.
- Cherry Extract. This gives the frosting the perfect cherry flavor.
- Red Food Coloring. You can adjust this to preference and make it lighter or darker.
The entire ingredients are in the recipe card.
Variations and Additions
- Lime Zest – Feel free to add in lime zest or lime syrup to the cupcakes.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Adding in fresh lime juice as so much flavor to the cupcakes. Limeade concentrate is another tasty option to fold into batter.
- Sprinkles. Top the cupcakes with sugar sprinkles or crystal sprinkles.
How to Make Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
Step 1. First, prepare the cupcake batter according to the box instructions with oil, a large egg, and the ingredients on the box. Whisk until combined in a large bowl. Divide batter in the muffin cups in the cupcake pans.
Step 2. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Allow the muffin tin to cool on a wire rack.
Step 3. Then poke each cupcake with a fork all over.
Step 4. Next, boil the water and dissolve the jello mix.
Step 5. Spoon this mixture over the cupcakes making sure to do this as evenly as possible. Brush on top with a pastry brush if needed. Then refrigerate the cupcakes.
Step 6. Make the frosting. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. I used a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. If it does not cream, add a little bit of heavy whipping cream until it does. Be careful not to add too much and to do so in batches.
Step 7. Now, add the cherry extract. Stir to get everything mixed really well. Add the food coloring and stir again.
Step 8. At this point, go ahead and test the icing. You can do this by getting a spoonful of the frosting and turning it upside down. If the frosting stays on, it is ready. If it slides off, you need to add more powdered sugar. Only add a little bit a time. I normally do about ½ cup of powdered sugar each time until it is the desired consistency.
Step 9. Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator.
Step 10. Finally, put the buttercream frosting in a piping bag. I like to use Wilton throw away bags because cleanup is really easy. Frost each cupcake by starting on the outside edge and work toward the middle. This is optional but I love to garnish each cupcake with a small lime slice and maraschino cherries.
Pro Tips
- Chill Cupcakes – After pouring the lime jello on the cupcakes, place in the fridge while preparing the frosting. Cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
- Cupcakes – We used a white cake mix but you can easily use any flavor of cake mix. Mix the ingredients with a stand mixer or by hand.
- Piping Bags – If you do not have any piping bags, you can use a ziplock bag. Just cut off the corner and pipe the icing on each cupcake.
- Cookie Scoop – Save time and use a cookie scoop! I have a set of stainless steel cookie scoops that I love, and they make baking so much easier.
- Cupcake Liners – Use cupcake paper liners in the muffin pan for easy cleanup. If you do not have cupcake liners, make sure to spray the pan with cooking spray.
FAQs
To keep you cupcakes moist and fluffy, make you store in air tight container. You can leave them at room temperature or place in the fridge.
Store the leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate the leftovers for up to 1 week.
You can freeze frosted cupcakes. Make sure to store in a freezer safe container and they will last about 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to serve, thaw cupcakes in the fridge overnight then serve.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Recipe
- Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Thin Mint Cupcakes Recipe
- Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes Recipe
Make this cherry limeade cupcakes recipe today for a delightful treat. Please leave a star rating and comment.
Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 1 box white cake mix plus ingredients needed based on the box instructions
- 1 3 oz box lime jello mix
- 1 cup water
- Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp cherry extract
- red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Bake the cupcakes based on the box instructions.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Poke the cupcakes with a fork multiples times ensuring that you go to the bottom of the cupcakes.
- Boil the 1 cup of water in a separate pan.
- Dissolve the jello mix in the boiling water.
- Spoon the jello mixture over the cupcakes evenly.
- Refrigerate the cupcakes until the jello is set.
- Now for the Cherry Frosting Directions:
- Cream the butter and powder sugar until it looks light and creamy. If it doesn’t cream add several drops of the heavy whipping cream until it creams.
- Add the cherry extract. Stir to mix well. Add red gel food coloring. Stir to mix well. Test to see if the frosting can form and hold a stiff peak by taking a spoonful of frosting and turning the spoon upside down. If the frosting stays on the spoon it is ready if not then…. Add more powder sugar ½ C at a time…. mix well.
- If ready scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a large tip.
- Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
- Start the frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working to the center of the cupcake.
- Place a small wedge of fresh lime on the center of the cupcake.
