Lemon curd blueberry meringue cupcakes

I adore blueberries and lemon curd, I love cupcakes and my all time favourite dessert has to be lemon meringue pie so this is something I thought I would try to marry my three favourite things together and boy are they good!!! As usual with all these recipes if you are not gluten free just switch back in regular flour. This recipe should make about 12 cupcakes maybe more if your cases are not as deep as mine.

Ingredients for the cupcakes

150g butter or margarine

150g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

150g gluten free self raising flour, I use Doves Farm (or Freee foods I think they are called now)

about 5 tblsp lemon curd (depending on how lemony you want them)

a few handfuls of blueberries (again depends how many you want in your cakes)

Ingredients for meringue topping

2 free range egg whites

100g caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170c/325f/gas 3

2. Line your cupcake tin with paper cases.

3. I use the all in one method for my cakes. So easy if you have either a hand mixer, a free standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a food processor and that is I add the flour, butter, eggs and sugar and whizz until pale and light and fluffy. It never fails.

4. If you prefer to make it as you would a Victoria sandwich cake then cream the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy, either in your mixer with the paddle attachment or by hand with a hand blender or wooden spoon in a bowl.

5. Add the eggs one at a time and after the first one I add in a tblsp of flour just to prevent it from curdling and then again after adding the other eggs. Beat really well after each addition.

6. Sift the flour and then add the rest into the mixture and beat until light and fluffy. 

7. Fold in the blueberries until well distributed.

8. I like the lemon curd to be in the middle of my cupcakes so put a spoonful of cake mix into each case. Then add about 1 tsp lemon cud into each case (this bit really isn't an exact science so no need to be too precise!) You can add more or less depending on how lemony you want them. I like lots so add good dollop in each one.

9. Then top the lemon curd with more cake mix to cover it.

10. Bake in the oven for between 15-20 mins. or until a skewer when inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. While they are baking prepare your meringue topping.

11. Make sure your bowl is scrupulously clean for this as meringues just won't work if there is the slightest bit of  grease on the bowl.

12. Whisk the egg whites with a hand whisk or freestanding mixer with the whisk attachment until the are stiff. You can test to see if they are ready by tipping the bowl upside down. If they do not slide out they are ready. (I like to do this over either mine or the children's heads for a giggle!) 

13. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time and continue whisking until thick and glossy.

14. Once you cakes are baked remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.

15. Either pipe or spread the meringue mix on top depending on what you prefer (Or have time for)

16. Then either brown with a blow torch or brown under a hot grill just until coloured but not too much.

17. These are delicious as a pudding with a big dollop of cream and more blueberries on the side or just with a cup of tea.....