This dessert is an elegant twist on a simple cupcake, it is delicious and for something so simple it looks very impressive! Enjoy and remember to share photos if you make it at home, we love to see what you do!

You will need:

For the cupcakes

1. Preheat oven 180C/160C fan-forced oven. Line two 12-hole, 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage).
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the flour. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until combined.
4. Add lemon zest to taste
5. For 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pans use 2 level tablespoons of mixture. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.
6. Stand cakes in pans for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Using a small sharp knife, cut a 2cm-deep x 3cm-wide round from the top of each cooked cupcake. Discard tops – or you could save them and eat them! Yum.
8. Spoon 2 teaspoons lemon butter into each hole. Place cakes on a large baking tray. Increase oven temperature to 200°C fan-forced.
9. Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites and sugar in a bowl for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
10. Spoon mixture into a large snap-lock bag. Snip a 1cm triangle from 1 corner of bag. Pipe mixture over lemon butter.
11. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until tops start to turn golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.