Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes

I was in the mood for really good cupcakes. I so love coconut cake and it takes a lot of work. So I decided to shorten the process. I am sharing the recipe I use to make really good coconut cupcakes. And to sweeten the process, I decided to use some key lime pie filling. Sorry the pictures don't do them justice. I had to use my phone camera since the batteries were gone out of my camera.

Coconut Cupcakes

2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup key lime pie filling
extra coconut for topping
3-minute Frosting

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mix well between each egg. Add coconut extract. Sift together flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with the coconut milk. Beginning and ending with the coconut milk. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes. Scoop into muffin pans lined with paper liners. Bake at 350F degrees for 18 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let cool in pan for 2 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire rack. Scoop out centers of cupcakes. I use an apple corer to remove the center of the cupcakes. Pipe pie filling into the hole in the center of each cupcake. Top with frosting.

3 Minute Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup
1/3 cup water
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon coconut extract
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixer. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Slowly add the sugar syrup to the eggs, mixing at high speed. Beat for 3 minutes on HIGH. Immediately pipe onto cupcakes and top with coconut.