Ok, I know what most of you are thinking right now: another cupcake recipe?! However, I can guarantee you that this recipe is completely different from the ones you have tried before. Starting this food blog I have set myself the goal to provide the world with healthy and delicious cupcakes, with a perfectly balanced taste, following the traditions of the Italian cuisine, WITHOUT USING BUTTERCREAM, yes I just said that! I firmly believe that buttercream is not the only suited ingredient for this recipe since out there are available numerous alternatives just as tasty but healthier. A perfect example is the Italian meringue; an exquisite dense and glossy cream made of sugar and cooked egg whites. According to some, the sugar syrup must reach exactly the temperature of 117° before it can be incorporated in the mixture, but you don’t need to worry since it’s proved that you can obtain a perfect syrup in temperatures at 117, 120 and 122 Celsius degrees.
- 1 stick butter
- Less than 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ lemon, grated rind
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ lemon peels, 2 o 3 pieces
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup water
- Caramel
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place the paper cups into a pan for cupcakes.
- Mix butter and sugar until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Then add the eggs one by one and continue mixing.
- Sift both flour and baking powder together in a large bowl, add the lemon peel and mix everything until is smooth.
- Fill every paper cups with a spoonful of dough and bake in preheated oven of 12-15 minutes.
- Boil milk and lemon peel in a small saucepan.
- In a separate bowl mix together yolks and sugar with a whisk.
- Add then sifted flour and baking powder and continue mixing.
- Add boiled filtered milk in the dough.
- Pour everything in the saucepan and keep mixing over heat until combined.
- Once done, transfer the cream in a tray and cover it with film.
- Allow some time to cool.
- Mount slowly the egg whites with ¼ sugar in a mixer.
- In a saucepan, melt the remaining sugar with water until you have obtained a syrup (117, 120 or 122 degrees C).
- Now gradually add the syrup to the mixer and continue mixing until the bowl has cooled and the dough is dense and glossy.
- Take off the heart of the cupcakes, fill them with custard.
- Top cupcakes with Italian meringue using a pastry bag.
