“You put the lime in the coconut…”  If you’re as old as I am, you’ll now have that song stuck in your head all day.  You’re welcome.  But it’s totally worth it when you taste these tropical, summery cakes of deliciousness.

Not only do they have a fluffy meringue topping, but hiding underneath is a sweet lime goo that takes them over the edge.

Coconut Lime Meringue Cupcakes

FOR THE CUPCAKES
1 large lime (for 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
4 large eggs
1 18 OZ. package yellow cake mix
1 3.5 OZ. package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring or coconut extract

FOR THE FILLING
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup real key lime juice

FOR THE COCONUT MERINGUE
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 large reserved egg whites
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.  Put your cupcake liners in your pan.

2. Prepare the cupcake batter…With a citrus zester or fine grater, zest the lime and reserve one teaspoon for garnish. Squeeze the lime juice over a strainer into a small bowl; you should have about two tablespoons. Set it aside.

3. Separate three of the eggs, place the whites in a large clean mixing bowl and the yolks in another mixing bowl.  No waste here, chickens!

4. Add the remaining egg, cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, coconut flavoring and lime zest (except the little bit for garnish) and lime juice to the yolks. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds.  Scrape the bowl down with a spatula and mix again on medium about 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed.

5. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full.

6. Bake ‘em until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger about 18 minutes.  They can be just slightly underdone cause you’re gonna toast ‘em in a few minutes.  Let them cool while you make the topping.  Increase the oven heat to 450°F.

7. Prepare the lime stuff:  Place the sweetened condensed milk and Key lime juice in a small bowl and stir to combine. It’ll get thicker.  Poke some holes into the tops of your cupcakes and spread the lime stuff over.  Ideally, you would use a pastry tip to inject the cupcakes, but then I’m lazy.

8. Make the meringue… Add the cream of tartar to the reserved egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until frothy, 45 seconds.

9. Add the coconut flavoring and one tablespoon of the sugar. Continue beating on high, adding one tablespoon sugar at a time, until the whites form stiff peaks (if you pull the beaters from the meringue, the meringue should extend from the beaters in straight stiff peaks).

10.  Spoon two tablespoons meringue onto the top of each cupcake and swirl to spread it just to the edges with a short metal spatula or a spoon or be fancy and pipe on in a circular motion.

11.  Bake until the meringue is light nutty brown in color, five to six minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining lime zest and coconut if you like.

You’re singing that song again, aren’t you?