Key Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1/3 cup key lime juice

14 oz. can condensed milk

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartat

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Place 18 paper baking cups in muffin pans.

Place all the cupcake ingredients in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, 2-3 minutes.

Spoon the batter into the cups.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.

For the filling, combine the line juice and condensed milk in a small bowl.

Remove the top from each cupcake and hollow out a small hole.

Spoon the filling into the hole and replace the top.

For the meringue, beat the eggs and cream of tarter until soft peaks form.

Add one third of the sugar and beat for 1 minute. Repeat until all the sugar has been added.

Increase the oven temperature to 450F.

Spoon or pipe the meringue on top of the cupcakes.

Bake for 5 minutes until golden.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Store no more than 1 day in an airtight container.

Variation:

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes- substitute 1/3 cup lemon juice for the key lime juice.