Lemon meringue cupcakes

These cupcakes are as delicious as they are pretty. They take a bit longer to make than a regular cupcake, but that won't matter the minute you sink your teeth into one of these beauties.

Lemon meringue cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

1 pack of vanilla cake mix batter
12 cupcake cups
200 ml lemon curd
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp castor sugar

Divide the cake batter between the cupcake cups and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Using an apple corer (or any other tool you think would do the same job) to make a hole in the top of your cupcakes. About 2 cm deep and 1 cm wide.

To fill the cupcake with the lemon curd I used a piping bag, but a spoon should be just fine. Just put enough lemon curd in to fill the hole you made. I didn't make my own lemon curd, but here is a recipe if you would like to take a shot at it. Set this aside while you make the meringue topping.

Whisk together the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add the castor sugar until the meringue is stiff and shiny. I would seriously recommend using a piping bag to put the meringue on the icing. I used my piping bag for the first time when I made this recipe and it was no big deal.

To brown the meringue, use a small blowtorch. If, like me, you don't have a blowtorch, you can put the meringues under the grill in your oven for a minute. Leave the door open and keep an eye on them to prevent cremating all your hard work.

You can eat them immediately or allow them to cool down. Either way, you and everyone lucky enough to get one of these cupcakes are in for a treat.