Raspberry-Basil Cupcakes with Swiss Lemon Meringue Buttercream Frosting

By tami_13

Created for the Iron Cupcake Earth Challenge

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 4 tablespoons butter ( 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups fresh raspberries or 12-ounce package frozen raspberries
• Frosting:
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoons lemon extract

Details

Adapted from foodknows.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Cream the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the egg and beat well. Mix in basil. Mix the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together and add alternately to the creamed mixture with the buttermilk. Fold in raspberries. Pour into the lined muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until inserted pick comes out clean.


Frosting:
1. Put egg whites and sugar in a double boiler over simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees).
2. Pour heated egg mixture into a clean bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes (It's very important to beat it for the whole 6 minutes).
3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears soupy or separated after all butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.)
4. Beat in extracts. Reduce speed to low; beat 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.