Short & Sweet: Lime Buttercream Frosting

     Recently, my mom attended some sort of picnic/potluck get together.  She came home raving about these cupcakes that someone else had brought oh, to be the envy of a potluck-if I could only be so lucky someday! that were topped with this apparently to die for icing--a lime buttercream frosting (topping an apparently delicious strawberry cupcake).


     Well, she was not lying.  This icing is so creamy and INEXPLICABLY delicious.  Though there were only two of us home this 4th of July thanks to the travel plans of my dad & sister, we felt an absolute need to make an entire batch of cupcakes after the original chef was kind enough to email my mom the recipe...and I must say, I'm not sure how long they'll last.  Read on to find out how to make this super-simple but MAGICAL topping for your next sweet treat!

     My mom & I originally decided to experiment a bit with different citrus flavors and this recipe- we wanted to try orange and lemon along with the lime, though we eventually chucked the lemon idea (it was the 4th, after all, and we had plans!) and just stuck with lime and orange.  The lime was absolutely sinful, and I have full plans to make some sort of light summery cake (perhaps raspberry or strawberry?) and absolutely smother it in the stuff. The orange icing was also very tasty, but it took much much more orange juice to get the flavoring strong enough to taste, and I'd still say I preferred the lime.  As for the actual cupcakes...well, we just went with a good old box of devil's food cake mix from the grocery store...but in this case, I'd have to say the cupcake's real purpose is honestly only to carry the icing to your mouth, where it will melt on your tongue and make you forget why you ever thought being healthy was important.

     
     So without further ado, here is the buttercream icing that dreams are made of!


Lime Buttercream Icing from Magical But Anonymous Woman at Potluck Picnic (Well, I know who she is, but I think it'd be rude to post her name without permission.)


3 Cups + 3 TBSP confectioner's sugar
1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbls lime juice (or orange) --> We found that OUR batches weren't lime-y enough to start with, so we added a bit more to taste (try another 1/2 tsp to start).  With the oranges I'd say we used about 2 Tbls all together.
Optional: Lime zest for decoration! (Or orange)

1. Add all ingredients to a stand mixer (or mixing bowl if using a hand mixer) with a paddle attachment.  Mix on low until well combine, then crank up to medium-high for about 3 minutes or until the icing is fluffy.
2. If you have self-restraint, spread all over your cakes/cookies/cupcakes...if you do not, grab a spoon and dig in...you can always run it off later, right?