American Vanilla Cupcakes
makes 12
2 med free range eggs
160g caster sugar
300g topped tailed peeled and finely grated courgette
180g white rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
1 quantity snow meringue icing (to folow)
1vanilla pod, split lengthways with seeds scraped out
12-hole muffin tray
12 cupckae cases
preheat oven to 180c/ 350F. Arrange cases in tray
whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl until pale and light - takes at least 5 mins and is achieved when mixture leaves ribon-like trail when you lift the beaters. Which in grated courgette briefly to incorporate
Sprinkle over half the flour, along with the baking powder and salt, then whisk thoroughly for another 20secs. Add remianing flour and van extract and whisk one final time until mixture looks well combined
ladle mixture into cases so it comes 4/5 of the way up the sides. Place in middle of oven for 30 mins
while they're cooking, make the snow meringue...
170g icing sugar
2tbsp water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
white of 1 med free range egg
small pinch salt
place all ingreds in lare mixing bowl over panof boiling water. Stir with clean metal spoon fr 2 mins exactly to dissolve the sugar
when mixture is warm and the mins are up, remove the bowl from the heat and beat with a a hand held elec whisk. Whisk for 9 mins until cool. It's ready to use when standing up in peaks
Use quickly as it starts to set almost immediately
Once the cupcakes are cooked, remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 mins. Ice when cool.
NB - don't be afraid that cake mixture is a bit runny - it's a fatless sponge so will feel looser than usual sponge mixture