Baking for Beginners: Snowstorm Cupcakes

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas chez Domestic Sluttery. And while a British Christmas is probably more likely to involve clouds and drizzle, I'm deluding myself with these Snowstorm Cupcakes. The combination of dense almondy sponge and fluffy rose-scented meringue is heavenly.

I'll admit that the meringue frosting is slightly more involved than a bog-standard buttercream, but it looks so pretty it would be a shame not to try it. Plus it's mostly air, which means you can eat two and still have room for turkey.

Snowstorm Cupcakes (makes 12)

You'll need:

• 175g butter, at room temperature
• 175g light brown sugar
• 4 eggs, separated 
• 1 whole egg
• 100g plain flour
• 75g ground almonds
• 1tsp baking powder
• 25ml milk
• 1tsp almond extract
• 175g caster sugar
• 75g dessicated coconut, plus a little bit for sprinkling
• 1tsp rosewater

Make it!

• Preheat the oven to 180c / gas 4. Line a 12 cup cupcake tin with cases.
• Beat together the butter and sugar until nice and smooth. Gradually beat in the egg yolks and whole egg. Stir in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder, then the milk and almond extract.
• Dollop the mixture into the cases, then bake 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when you press them lightly.
• Leave the cupcakes to cool while you make the merinuge frosting. Turn the oven down to 110c / Gas 1/2.
• Beat the egg whites and caster sugar together until you get a stiff and shiny meringue. Stir in the coconut and rosewater.
• Spoon the frosting onto each cake. Punk it up a bit so it looks snowy. Sprinkle over a little bit more coconut.
• Bake for another hour, until the meringue frosting is crispy and dried out. 
• Leave to cool. Scoff beneath the Christmas tree.