This recipe is courtesy of aoitea.com
Makes 12
Cupcakes
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (measure by “scoop and level” method)
2 teaspoons AOI Chef’s Choice Matcha Green Tea
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lime peel
2 large eggs
Meringue
4 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Large pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line 12 standard (1/3 cup capacity) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine flour, Matcha, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; whisk until blended. Combine milk, buttermilk, and vanilla in small bowl.
Using hand-held electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lime peel. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until blended after each. Clean off beaters.
Using rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of dry ingredients into butter mixture. Add half of milk mixture and stir to blend. Fold in half of remaining dry ingredients, then remaining milk mixture. Fold in remaining dry ingredients. Spoon batter into paper liners, dividing evenly.
Bake cupcakes until tester (long toothpick) inserted into center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan 10 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 450˚ F. Using clean dry beaters and hand-held electric mixer, beat egg whites, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, then powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until firm peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Working with 1 at a time, mound 1/3 cup meringue on cupcake. Using an offset spatula, seal meringue to top edge of paper liner, then swirl meringue decoratively into peaks. Place cupcakes on large rimmed baking sheet, spaced 2 to 3 inches apart.
Bake cupcakes until meringue is singed in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.
Serve on same day made. Refrigerate any leftovers.
