Recipes: Vanilla Cupcakes with Meringue Icing
INGREDIENTS:
Vanilla Cupcakes;
- 125g butter
- 125g sugar
- 2x Free-Range eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 175g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 whole milk
- zest of 1 orange
Meringue Icing;
- 2x Free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 220g caster sugar
- 1x drop vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- 1x drop food colouring
METHOD:
Vanilla Cupcakes;
- Preheat the oven to 180⁰C fan-bake. Grease and flour a 12-hole muffin tray.
- In a bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix in along with the milk and orange zest. Stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined; be careful not to over mix.
- Evenly divide the mixture into the muffin holes.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden in colour and springy to the touch.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, make the Meringue Icing.
- Once cupcakes cool, top with a generous amount of the meringue icing.
- Can be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Meringue Icing;
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and small bubbles appear.
- Add the vanilla and cream of tartar.
- Slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites while continuously beating. After about seven minutes the meringue should be gleaming and sticky.
- Add drops of food colouring as desired.