Welcome Back Recipe, Just in Time for Spring!

So sorry to everyone following this blog for my absence - it was a very busy end of the winter. Now that the sun is shining, the weather is warming up, and there are leaves on the trees, I promise to make more regular posts, filled with AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS recipes for your enjoyment :).

I was out in California about 4 weeks ago, visiting a childhood friend of mine. If you ever make it to LA, I highly suggest you check out the horseback riding to the Hollywood sign - it was SO fun. The guides were very friendly & the horses were safe & steady. Check it out:


Also while in L.A., my friend and I flexed our baking muscles both to share our mutual love for sweets & to celebrate her boyfriend's birthday. What better ingredient to choose during the spring than a lemon? Think about it...lemonade, lemon ice, lemon-lime popsicles...they all scream warm weather.

Our baking item of choice: Lemon filled Vanilla cupcakes with a sweet Meringue Frosting. Believe me...delicious! I think her boyfriend actually downed three of them in one sitting. Check them out:

And, of course, here is the recipe :)

Vanilla cupcakes: recipe provided in a previous post - find it HERE.

Once you've baked the cupcakes and have let them cool, cut out a small section from the top center of the cupcake (about 1/2 inch deep and with a thick border to ensure the stability of your cupcakes). With the cut out portion: cut the soft middle part of the cake off, but keep the top portion to place on top of the lemon filling once placed in the hole you've created. See images below:

Lemon Filling:
(makes 1 cup)

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 tsp grated lemon zest

- Heat butter & lemon juice in med pan until mixture is hot - 130 degrees.
- In med bowl whisk sugar & eggs/yolks until blended. Add dissolved cornstarch.
- Whisking constantly, add butter/lemon juice mixture slowly.
- Return to pan & cook over med heat until thickened & just boiling ~ 6 minutes - thickened sauce will allow for a path created with finger on back of spoon
- Press plastic wrap to top of sauce once placed in cool bowl - refrigerate until chilled.

Finally, top with Meringue Frosting (recipe below)

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring extract

Boil sugar and water over heat until syrup spins a thread.
Pour very slowly onto stiffly beaten whites and beat until smooth and stiff enough to spread.
Add flavoring.
Spread on cake.

Get ready for more to come!