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These lemon lime cupcakes are made with cake mix and soda! Moist, citrusy, and topped with a lime cream cheese frosting, they’re a guaranteed hit this summer.
A cold can of lemon lime soda on a hot day? Classic.
But pour it into a boxed cake mix? A game changer!
The box of cake mix cuts the prep work, and the soda takes care of the perfect rise. You’ll get deliciously moist, light cupcakes that make the best base for a rich cream cheese swirl.
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Looking for a more wholesome icing and frosting? You’ll be impressed with these egg-free royal icing and vegan buttercream frosting!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Lime Cupcakes Recipe
- You can make moist and delicious cupcakes with just 5 ingredients!
- This soda cupcake recipe is adaptable! Try it with a different cake mix, soda, and frosting.
- These lemon lime cupcakes are perfect for summer or anytime you want to go beyond your usual cupcake flavor.
Ingredients And Substitutions
LEMON LIME SODA CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS:
White cake mix – With its simple flavor, white cake mix makes the best base for lemon lime cupcakes made with soda.
Vegetable oil – Our key ingredient for super moist cake mix and soda cupcakes without the hassle of creaming butter.
Egg whites – Take your eggs out of the fridge 15 minutes before starting the recipe, so they’ll be easier to incorporate into the batter.
Lemon lime soda – The crisp, sweet flavor is perfect for summer-ready cupcakes! Soda works like a leavening agent for the box cake mix.
Lime gelatin mix – For deliciously soft, moist cake mix soda cupcakes.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
Salted butter – Unsalted butter also works, but the saltiness tastes exquisite with the tangy cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese – Rich, creamy, and absolutely dreamy over the citrus cupcakes.
Powdered sugar – Thickens and sweetens the cream cheese frosting.
Lime gelatin mix – Helps with the frosting’s flavor and structure.
Vanilla extract – Optional, but vanilla’s warm flavor rounds out the rich lime frosting.
Half and half – Keeps the frosting from getting too stiff.
Green food coloring – Don’t forget to tint your frosting for eye-catching lemon lime cupcakes!
Green sprinkles – To add some pizzazz to the frosted soda cupcakes.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Do Not Overmix
To avoid dense lemon lime cupcakes, mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
Try a Different Topping
You can also whip up a quick buttercream frosting with lime juice, lime zest, and green food coloring for these soda cupcakes! But if you want to skip the piping, whisk together some milk, powdered sugar, and lime zest for an instant glaze. Then, just dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze and chill before serving.
Storage Tips
You can arrange your leftover frosted lemon lime cupcakes in a single line in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also make the frosting 3 days in advance!
Soda Cupcakes Recipe FAQs
Does soda and cake mix work?
This hack works because the soda acts like a leavening agent. You can even just beat the dry cake mix and soda together, then bake the batter for 14 minutes at 375°F to make cupcakes from scratch.
What is the secret to super moist soda cupcakes?
Vegetable oil is a fantastic alternative to butter for super moist cupcakes.
What can I substitute for lemon lime soda?
You can always use other fruit-flavored sodas to make cupcakes with a boxed cake mix.
How do I know if my lemon lime cupcakes are done?
These soda cupcakes are done once a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Can you freeze lemon lime soda cupcakes?
You can freeze the lemon lime cupcakes for up to 2 months. Freeze the frosted cupcakes for 2 hours to allow the frosting to firm up, then wrap each soda cupcake with foil and store in a freezer-safe container.
More Delicious Dessert Cupcake Recipes
- Easy Orange Crinkle Cookies
- Sweet and Savory Maple Bacon Cupcakes
- Must-Try Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes
- Best Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Cute and Yummy Cookie Monster Cupcakes
I found this recipe for Spring Lime Tea Cookies that I HAVE to try!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below.
Lemon Lime Cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE LEMON LIME SODA CUPCAKES:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites
- 1 3/4 cups lemon lime soda
- 1/2 box lime gelatin mix
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 box lime gelatin mix
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp half and half
- Green food coloring
- Green sprinkles
Instructions
LEMON LIME SODA CUPCAKES:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Add the cake mix, oil, egg whites, and lemon lime soda to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until well-incorporated.
- Stir in the gelatin mix. Do not overmix.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake tin, filling each cupcake liner about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool before decorating.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Cream the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer for about two minutes or until fluffy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin mix.
- Add a cup of sugar at a time with a tablespoon of half and half between each cup.
- Continue mixing for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Add a drop or two of green food coloring until you achieve your desired color. Mix well.
- Transfer into a piping bag and frost the lemon lime cupcakes.
- Finally, decorate the frosted cupcakes with green sprinkles.
Notes
- To avoid dense lemon lime cupcakes, mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
- You can also whip up a quick buttercream frosting with lime juice, lime zest, and green food coloring for these soda cupcakes! But if you want to skip the piping, whisk together some milk, powdered sugar, and lime zest for an instant glaze. Then, just dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze and chill before serving.
- You can arrange your leftover frosted lemon lime cupcakes in a single line in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also make the frosting 3 days in advance!
Nutrition
PIN FOR LATER!
