Best Cupcake on Earth

To understand my obsession with cupcakes you can read 'C is for Cupcakes' on my blog.  In honor of my passion for cupcakes, we had a cupcake party in Mommy's Group yesterday.  Out of all the incredible cupcakes we made, this one was the best.  It may truly be the closest thing to heaven I have ever tasted!  Please PLEASE make these and swath your taste buds in divine pleasure.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue – Emily Bohman

If you are in a hurry, frost them, unfilled, with a little whipped cream, or lighten up the filling mixture with a little whipped cream and use it as a frosting instead. Or just fill the cupcakes and dust them with confectioners' sugar instead of adding the meringue. But if you go all the way, serve them when they are still a little warm, and you will have one stupendous cupcake with a surprise inside.

Cupcakes
1 large lime, scrubbed (for 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)

4 large eggs

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

Filling
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup Key lime juice

Coconut Meringue
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Reserved 3 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. With a citrus zester, zest the lime and reserve 1 teaspoon. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over a strainer into a small bowl; you should have 2 tablespoons. Set aside. Separate 3 of the eggs, place the whites in a large clean mixing bowl and the yolks in another mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining egg, cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, coconut flavoring and lime zest and juice to the yolks. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Place the pans in the oven. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 22 minutes. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before filling.

3. Place the sweetened condensed milk and Key lime juice in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip. Press the tip 1/4 inch into the top center of each cooked cupcake and squeeze the bag to release about 1 tablespoon filling into the cupcake. Scrape off any excess filling with a rubber spatula.

4. For the meringue add the cream of tartar to the reserved egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until frothy, about 45 seconds. Add the coconut flavoring and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Continue beating on high, adding 1 tablespoon sugar at a time, until the whites form stiff peaks. Spoon 2 tablespoons meringue onto the top of each cupcake and swirl to spread it just to the edges with a spoon. Bake until the meringue is light nutty brown in color, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve warm!