Baked Alaskan Cupcakes

Inspired by Baked Alaska and a gorgeous raspberry and white chocolate ice cream found in my corner shop, these take my lemon meringue cupcakes one step further, making an impressive dessert.

Light, fruity cupcakes are topped with soft sweet meringue, hiding the the cool ice cream surprise in the centre.

The cakes can be made ahead of time, filled and stored in the freezer, leaving you to simply pipe and toast the topping. Once out of the oven for the second time eat them quickly, before the ice cream melts too much.

For added excitement turn them into Alaskan Bombe's with some flaming liquor.

Makes six cupcakes.

For the cupcakes:

• 2 oz butter
• 2 oz caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 oz self raising flour
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries

For the filling:

• Ice cream (I used white chocolate & raspberry, but raspberry ripple or vanilla work just as well.)

For the meringue topping:

• 2 egg whites
• 110 g caster sugar

You'll also need general kitchen equipment, including bowls, spoons, electric whisk, cupcake tin & liners, piping bag with star tip.

For those without scales, a good weight to volume conversion chart can be found here.

Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F/Gas 4)

To make the cupcakes, first beat the butter and sugar until they are pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat this through until you have a smooth mix.

Fold through the flour and lemon zest with a light touch, as too much beating can make your cake tough and dense. Gently crush the frozen raspberries, and mix the pieces into the cake batter.

Spoon the batter into your cake tin and bake for around 20 min, until risen and golden.

After baking, leave the cupcakes to cool in the tin. Once cool, hollow out the middles with an apple corer or sharp knife.

Take a small spoon and scoop balls of ice cream to fit into the middle of each cupcake. Fill the cupcakes with the ice cream and put them in the freezer while you make the meringue topping.

The cakes are topped with a simple meringue. To make this, put the egg whites in a clean bowl, and whip them up until the stand up in stiff peaks.

Now slowly add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, making sure each spoonful is fully beaten through. Continue to beat until the mix is stiff and glossy, and the sugar has fully dissolved. Test this by rubbing a little between your fingers. If it feels grainy, continue to beat a little longer.

For the final touch, reheat the oven to 160 C (325F/Gas 3). Put the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Remove the cakes from the freezer and pipe a swirl on top of each cake, making sure to cover all of the ice cream.

Put the cakes into the oven for a few minutes, until the meringue is firm and lightly brown on the edges.

Serve immediately.