Bee’s Kitchen

Preparation Time – 25 minutes
Cooking Time – 25 minutes

Makes – 12

Ingredients

60g butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup raspberries
Icing sugar mixture, to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin pans with cupcake cases.
2. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour and orange juice until just combined.
3. Spoon half the mixture evenly among paper cases and top with half the combined berries. Divide the remaining mixture among the cases and top with the remaining berries. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly tapped. Set aside in the pan to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Dust lightly with icing sugar to serve.

Preparation Time – 40 minutes
Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Makes – 12

Ingredients

60g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup low fat milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Line 12 x 1/3 cup muffin pans with cupcake cases.
2. Using electric beater, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mashed banana. Beat until combined.
3. Sift flour and bicarbonate soda over banana mixture. Add milk. Using a large metal spoon, gently stir until combined. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin pans. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer. Cool in pans for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preparation Time – 30 minutes
Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Makes – 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

60g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup milk

Lemon curd

1 egg, lightly whisked
50g butter
2 tsp lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup caster sugar

Meringue

3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Use a mixer to beat the butter, sugar and lemon rind until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the flour and milk, in alternate batches, and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
3. Spoon mixture into lined pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, to make the lemon curd centre, combine the egg, butter, lemon rind and juice and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool and thicken.
5. Use a small knife to cut a V-shaped piece out of the top of each cake, about 1.5cm deep, leaving a 2cm-wide edge. Spoon the lemon curd evenly among cupcakes.
6. Place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Use a mixer to whisk until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating well between each addition. Continue beating for 2-3 minutes or until sugar completely dissolves. Spoon meringue on top of each cake, using a round-bladed knife to shape in peaks over the cake and enclosing the filling. Use a small brulee gun to toast the meringue until lightly golden.