Mini Key Lime Cupcakes

Total Time: 37 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix, 4-serving size
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup key lime juice or 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 drops green food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box yellow cake mix, plus
• water (per cake mix directions)
• oil (per cake mix directions)
• egg (per cake mix directions)
• 1 (16 ounce) container frosting, whipped type
• 1 tablespoon key lime juice or 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated key lime peel or 1/2 teaspoon regular lime peel

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with wire whisk 2 minutes. let stand 3 minutes. beat in 1/4 cup lime juice and the food coloring; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. cover; refrigerate.
• 2 heat oven to 375* (350* for dark or nonstick pans). place a paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. make cake batter as directed on box. spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon batter into each muffin cup, using about half of the batter. (muffin cups will be about 1/3 full.) refrigerate remaining batter. bake 12 to 16 minutes or until toothpick is inserted in center comes out clean. remove from pan to cooling rack. repeat with remaining batter. cool cupcakes completely, about 15 minutes.
• 3 remove paper baking cups from cupcakes. swirl about 2 teaspoons topping on top of each cupcake.
• 4 stir frosting container 20 times. gently stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and the lime peel. spoon frosting into a 1-quart ziploc bag. cut an 1/2-inch opening from bottom corner of bag. squeeze 1 rounded teaspoonful frosting onto topping. garnsih with fresh lime wedge, if desired. store in refrigerator.