Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These beauties are preeminent of spring, because today feels like spring. We've had sunny clear skies and temps in the low twenties yet we are still well entrenched in winter...not really very wintry though. So I made these because I love the plain vanilla cupcake, the tart but creamy lemon curd and the sumptuous gooey meringue...and the crunch and flavour of toasted coconut. On their own very nice, but together? Super delicious!

Enjoy....

Vanilla Cupcake

1 1/4 cup plain flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon curd (homemade or bought, I've included a recipe below)

2 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a bowl.

In a separate bowl mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil together and beat well. Combine the half of the dry mix with half of the buttermilk to the wet mix and mix well, combine the other half and beat until mixture is smooth.

Spoon into cupcake papers and fill 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 15-20 mins or until the sponge springs back when pressed.

When cooled, using a knife cut out a small section at the top of the cupcake in which to fill with the lemon curd. Fill with the curd and then pipe with the meringue topping then sprinkle with the toasted coconut flakes.

Lemon Curd (from Treats from Little and Friday cookbook)

125g unsalted butter

1 cup caster sugar

juice and zest of 4 lemons

3 large eggs

Place all ingredients except eggs into a metal bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from heat when there are no sugar granules left.

In another bowl beat the eggs, add butter and sugar mixture to the eggs and beat until combined. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove the zest and place mixture back over simmering water and heat slowly until thick enough to coat a spoon. 

This makes 2 cups and will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Swiss Meringue

Fill a saucepan 1/4 full and heat until simmering.

Place the egg whites and sugar into a bowl (preferably your metal mixing bowl) and put over simmering water, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved (you can test this by rubbing mixture between your fingers, it is done when you can't feel any granules).

Take your bowl off the heat and using a whisk attachment whisk until glossy and thick peaks form. Add the vanilla and mix in.

Fill a piping bag and decorate cupcake, add toasted coconut flakes.